In the United States, there are approximately 12 million people 40 years and over with vision impairment. This includes 1 million with blindness. And with a rapidly aging population, more people live with diabetes and other chronic conditions that can lead to vision loss.
The American Academy of Ophthalmology defines low vision as “vision loss that cannot be corrected by medical or surgical treatments or conventional eyeglasses.” It can encompass the loss of central vision, peripheral vision, contrast sensitivity, depth perception, and visual processing.
People with low vision may not see well enough to perform everyday tasks, even if they wear glasses or contact lenses. They may have difficulty reading, writing, using a computer or cell phone, recognizing faces, watching TV, shopping, driving a car, and more.
Sight loss can affect anyone, no matter their age, ethnicity, gender, or clinical condition. Low vision is not a normal symptom of aging. Therefore, it’s important that your patients who have trouble with their sight can use and take their medications safely. For this to happen, you need to think about the environment of your pharmacy and how you can make it easier for them. Here are some important ways you can help:
Accessible Environment
Is your pharmacy’s physical space well-lit, well-organized, and free of obstacles that patients might trip over? If not, work on making it easier for your visually impaired patients to navigate. Use color-contrasted guide rails and large-print signage and position the signs at eye level so patients can move about the pharmacy more easily. Be sure to have clear signage for “IN” and “OUT.”
Regular Eye Exams
Teach your patients with low vision the importance of regular eye exams. Give them information on low vision.
Prescription Labeling
Help your visually impaired patients read and understand their medication instructions by providing prescription labels that are in large print and/or braille. You can also offer audible prescription label technology that will read the label out loud. Simply place a tag on your patient’s prescription medication and they can use a free mobile app or specialized device to hear all the information.
Simplified Dosing
You can work together with your visually impaired patients to simplify difficult medication regimens. For instance, you can use blister packaging or pill organizers that break down doses by day or time. Another way is to combine multiple medications into a single dosage form, also known as a “polypill.” This makes it much easier for your patients to take their medications on time and as frequently as prescribed. Studies have shown that adherence to polypill regimens is much higher (84%) when compared to multiple pill regimens.
Home Delivery
If you don’t already, offer home delivery for your visually impaired patients to guarantee they get their medications. This can eliminate their need to travel to the pharmacy.
Medication Counseling Support
By offering phone consultations and counseling, you’ll be able to answer patients’ questions about their medication, dosage, and side effects, as well as special strategies for safe storage, differentiation, and administration of their medications. Be sure to thoroughly address anything they may be concerned about.
Mobile Apps and Devices
Encourage patients with sight loss to use assistive technologies like medication reminder apps, screen readers, or digital pill dispensers. These can help them effectively manage their medications, identify pills through image recognition, or read labels aloud.
Voice-Activated Systems
You can use a voice-activated system such as Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. Set up a dedicated “skill” or “routine” that allows you to verbally input patient details, such as medication names, dosages, and schedules. The system will then deliver timely voice reminders to take their medications. With its HIPAA compliant status, Alexa can retrieve sensitive health data and deliver it to the patient through a private connection. For example, a diabetic patient can get information on their blood sugar levels and make necessary corrections to avoid serious health consequences.
Training Patients and Caregivers
Take time out to train your patients, and those who help take care of them, how to use various low-vision aids available. Show them proper techniques for medication administration and be sure they feel confident in managing their own health care.
Most importantly, ensure that your pharmacy is accessible to people with low vision. Organize products so they’re easier to locate, provide clear signage, and offer help when patients need assistance.
The Patterns of Vision and Vision Loss
Central vision
When you look directly at something, this is the detailed vision you use. When conditions damage the center of the retina (the macula), like macular degeneration (AMD), it can affect your central vision.
Peripheral vision
This is the less-detailed vision you use to see at the edges of your vision, outside the area you’re looking directly at. Glaucoma and retinitis pigmentosa often affect peripheral vision first.
Diabetic retinopathy strokes and cerebral/cortical visual impairment can affect the peripheral and central vision in either eye.
Contrast sensitivity
This is the ability to distinguish between objects of similar tones, like milk in a white cup or to distinguish facial features.
Depth perception
This is the ability to judge the position of objects in the space around you. Vision loss in one eye or damage to the brain can affect depth perception, such as gauging the height of a step or reaching for a cup.
Charles Bonnet syndrome (CBS)
About 20-30% have this syndrome and see life-like images that they know are not real. This is just part of vision loss for some people. It’s similar to how people who have lost a limb may feel phantom pain and is not a sign of a mental health problem.
(Source: aao.org)
More articles from the March 2025 issue:
- PBMs and How They Affect Your Pharmacy
- White Label vs. Private Label Products
- Welcoming AI into Your Pharmacy
- AI-Powered Patient Counseling
- Diagnosing Childhood Asthma
- New Weight-Loss Drugs
- Secondary Stress
- Sight-Loss Support
A Member-Owned Company Serving Independent Pharmacies
PBA Health is dedicated to helping independent pharmacies reach their full potential on the buy-side of their business. Founded and run by pharmacists, PBA Health serves independent pharmacies with group purchasing services, wholesaler contract negotiations, proprietary purchasing tools, and more.
An HDA member, PBA Health operates its own NABP-accredited warehouse with more than 6,000 SKUs, including brands, generics, narcotics CII-CV, cold-storage products, and over-the-counter (OTC) products — offering the lowest prices in the secondary market.
