The management of low vision in children

Abstract

In 1992 the World Health Organisation (WHO) held a seminar on low vision in Bangkok, Thailand. One of its rapporteurs, Tony Best, reports that it resulted in significant developments in the guidelines available to those responsible for the management of low vision and low vision services. The seminar brought together a small group of experienced professionals from the medical and educational fields. Their brief was to examine how people with low vision function, how their needs could be met and to provide recommendations for services. A particular interest of the group was the development of services in developing countries, or in the South. However, much of the seminar work considered services in both developing and developed regions and this summary reflects the many common concerns and solutions. (Text other than that in italics is quoted directly from the proceedings of the Seminar: 'Management of Low Vision in Children; Report of a WHO Consultation, Bangkok, 23-24 July, 1992; WHO/PBL/93.27' available from WHO, Geneva).