Providing timely and ongoing vision rehabilitation services for the diabetic patient with irreversible vision loss from diabetic retinopathy.

Background: Diabetic retinopathy (DR) remains the leading contributor to severe vision loss in the United States among persons 20 to 70 years of age. Despite advances in disease management and treatment, patients with vision loss from DR continue to constitute a significant portion of patients served in vision rehabilitation service (VRS) settings. These patients present special challenges to VRS providers because of early onset, fluctuations in and the complex nature of vision loss, unique visual demands of disease management, and associated multi-system losses.

Case reports: After introductory epidemiologic review, a case presentation format is used to illustrate solutions a multidisciplinary VRS can offer the special visual challenges of the person with diabetes with vision loss from DR. Four patients are presented--ages 30 to 70 years--with varying degrees and types of vision loss, with different lifestyle demands and disease management needs. The cases address vocational issues, vision fluctuation, coordinating adaptive solutions to complex visual losses, and meeting diabetic needs to measure medication, insulin, and blood glucose levels, to maintain skin care, diet, exercise, transportation, family roles, and support systems.

Conclusions: The unique and complex needs of people with diabetes who experience vision loss can be well addressed through timely and ongoing VRS consultations, in conjunction with medical/ocular disease management.