Why Does the Eyecare Industry Struggle With Low Vision?

Low Vision Care: Focusing on Function, Not Diagnosis

When faced with a new health condition, our immediate instinct is often to ask, “How can we cure this?” In low vision, however, our aim is different. The goal isn’t to cure low vision; it’s to help you thrive with it. And what thriving looks like is a unique and personal journey for every patient.

The true focus of low vision care shouldn’t be the diagnosis itself, but the functions you’ve lost as a result of it. For one person, thriving might mean being able to play cards again, a favorite hobby. In this case, a simple solution like a set of large-print playing cards could be an incredibly useful low vision device. For an avid reader, however, those same playing cards would be useless. A solution for them might be a Kindle or a similar device that allows for adjustable font sizes.

The Power of Asking the Right Questions

While a diagnosis is crucial for an ophthalmologist addressing the physiological effects of a condition, our work is centered on the functional effects. We must ask: “What is it about your low vision that is reducing your quality of life?” Without this question, we risk offering solutions that are completely ineffective. If a device doesn’t help you do the things you care about, it’s not a solution at all.

This shift in perspective changes the questions we ask. Instead of, “What’s the best tint for macular degeneration?” we ask, “When are you most bothered by light?” The solution for someone bothered by sunlight will be entirely different from the solution for someone bothered by the glare from a computer screen.

So much of the industry, including many practitioners in the eye care world, misses the mark on low vision because they are hyper-focused on the diagnosis and not on the functional impairment you are experiencing. By reframing the narrative to prioritize function over diagnosis, we can find solutions that truly help you thrive.

Charlie Saccarelli

President, Chadwick Optical

As President of Chadwick Optical, Charlie Saccarelli is the driving force behind the company’s mission to help every patient left behind by the current health care system. Under his leadership, Chadwick has grown from a simple optical lab into a trusted resource for practitioners around the world looking for ways to help the patients that “can’t be helped.” He is a master optician, a father, a bit of a nerd, and a passionate patient advocate who has lectured worldwide on all things optical.