Low Vision Practice and Service Provision Among Optometrists in Ghana: A Nationwide Survey

ABSTRACT

Purpose

To characterize practice patterns of low vision services among Optometrists in Ghana.

Methods

The nationwide cross-sectional survey identified entities through the Ghana Optometrists Association (GOA) registry and utilized a semi-structured questionnaire to consolidate survey information that comprises practitioners’ demographics, available services, diagnostic equipment, barriers to service provision and utilization, and interventions.

Results

300 Optometrists were identified, with 213 surveyed (71% response rate). About fifty percent (52.6%) were in private practice, and more than two-thirds (77%) did not provide low vision services. Most (≥70%) reported lack of assistive devices, and basic eye care examination kits as the main barriers to low vision service provision. Similarly, practitioners reported unawareness of the presence of low vision centres (76.1%), and high cost of low vision aids (75.1%) as the prime perceived barriers for patients to utilize low vision services. Continuous professional development and public education (89–90%) were suggested as interventions to improve the uptake of low vision services. After statistical adjustment, private facility type (Adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 0.35, p = 0.010) and lack of basic eye examination kits (AOR = 0.32, p = 0.002) were significantly associated with reduced odds of low vision service provision. Conversely, ≥15 years of work experience (AOR = 6.37, p = 0.011) was significantly associated with increased odds of low vision service provision.

Conclusions

Overall, the results indicate inadequate low vision coverage and service delivery. Government policies must be directed towards equipping practitioners with equipment and subsidize patient cost of treatment to optimize low vision care.

KEYWORDS:

• Barriers
• blindness
• coverage
• Ghana
• low vision
• optical devices
• optometrist
• residual vision
• service delivery
• visual impairment

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

The datasets used and analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding authors upon reasonable request.

Ethics approval

The study was conducted according to the Tenets of the Declaration of Helsinki and ethical approval was obtained from the Committee on Human Research, Publication and Ethics, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana (CHRPE/AP/286/22). Approval was also obtained from the president of the Ghana Optometric Association.

Patient and public involvement

Patients and/or the public were not involved in the design, conduct, reporting, or dissemination plans of this research.

Patient consent

All participants agreed and gave their consent to partake in the study after the aims and potential benefits and risks were well spelt out.

Additional information

Funding

Kwadwo Owusu Akuffo, Werner Eisenbarth, and Josephine Ampomah Boateng are funded by the Else Kröner-Fresenius-Stiftung Foundation [Grant number: 2022_EKHA.141].