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Abandonment of Low-Vision Devices in an Outpatient Population

Purpose. To investigate abandonment rate of prescribed low-vision devices for near tasks and factors associated with abandonment in a U.S. outpatient population. Methods. A telephone survey was administered to 88 patients with low vision from four clinical sites about 1 year after examination and prescription of devices. Patients were surveyed on timing and frequency of use and reasons for abandonment of devices. The main outcome measure (abandonment) was defined as patient report of no use of prescribed device in the previous 3 months. Multivariate logistic regression was used to investigate significant vision and demographic factors related to abandonment. Results. Of 119 prescribed devices, 19% (95% CI, 12 to 26) had not been used within the previous 3 months. Mean (±SD) better eye visual acuity at examination was 0.61 ± 0.29 logMAR, and mean age was 77 ± 17 years. Mean time between device prescription and survey was 11 ± 3 months. Device abandonment was not associated with age (p = 0.863), time since prescription (p = 0.125), visual acuity (p = 0.804), or category of magnification device (spectacle, handheld, stand, or video) (p = 0.412). There was a significant association between documented non-central visual field loss and abandonment of magnification device (p = 0.046). Repeat administration of the survey resulted in the same abandonment classification in 15 of 15 patients (100%). Conclusions. Abandonment rate was similar for this outpatient population to those previously reported in the U.S. veteran inpatient population and in other countries. Patients with visual field loss may be more likely to abandon prescribed devices.