Low vision services provided by optometrists in Victoria, Australia

Background: Utilisation of low vision services remains low in Australia. This study investigates low vision service provision by optometrists in Victoria and assesses the optometric human resource potential. Methods: An eight-item questionnaire was sent to 1,050 optometrists in Victoria in December 2006. It investigated key characteristics of the optometrists and their practices, the extent of their low vision training and service provision and the influence of Medicare item 10942 on low vision service provision. Results: Although only 97 replies were received they represented a significant proportion of optometrists who had undertaken postgraduate training in low vision. Almost 86 per cent of respondents worked in private practice settings. Although 87.6 per cent and 30.9 per cent had undergraduate and postgraduate low vision training, respectively, only 63.9 per cent of all respondents reported that they provided low vision services. The majority who replied to the impact of Medicare item 10942 question indicated that its introduction had not changed their low vision provision. Those who did not provide low vision services reported referrals to other low vision services as their main reason for not doing so. Conclusions: The majority of respondents represent a potential source of low vision service providers. Further work needs to explore their possible involvement in low vision care.