Greenlane low vision optometrists Sandy Grant and Deepa Kumar

The low vision (LV) clinic at Greenlane Clinical Centre has recently welcomed two new optometrists to its team. Deepa Kumar and Deborah Chan, have joined Sandy Grant, LV clinic coordinator and therapist, to provide a multi-disciplinary low vision service to patients referred by eye health specialists, general practitioners, the Blind Foundation and other ADHB departments.

The most common referrals are for patients with macular degeneration (MD) and glaucoma, although the clinic will accept anyone with functional vision issues, said Grant.

Patients seen at early stages of MD often identify reading, handwriting and glare issues as their main difficulties, while patients with glaucoma, retinitis pigmentosa, hemianopias or monocular vision may experience mobility and reading issues. Other visual concerns highlighted in the assessment are also addressed through LV strategies such as eccentric viewing, low vision aids, both optical and non-optical (eg. magnifiers, task lamps, signature guides), basic training with aids or sighted-guide, information, peer support or referrals, such as Blind Foundation membership.

Early intervention often alleviates many patients and helps the patient develop coping mechanisms, said Grant.

The low vision clinic runs Tuesday and Thursday afternoons and on average about four patients per clinic are seen. Wednesday afternoons is a therapist-only clinic, though Grant said she hopes to add another full-service clinic in the near future. 

Patients referred to the clinic are interviewed first by Grant and then the optometrist, who refracts the patient and determines magnification requirements. Follow-up appointments are often required, or patients can self-refer back should they feel their vision has deteriorated. 

Originally from Canada, and trained in rehabilitation teaching, orientation and mobility, Grant came to New Zealand in 1992 to work for the Blind Foundation. “As the clinic coordinator, I love the interaction with patients and in playing my part on the LV team.

“It’s rewarding work, encouraging and demonstrating what is possible to patients through a variety of strategies, low vision aids, appropriate support, referrals to enable the patient to approach their low vision with added confidence, motivation and a boost in self-esteem.”

Grant said she’s excited about the recent expansion of the clinic and is looking forward to providing more patients with a range of services to start them on their journey to living successfully with low vision.

The LV clinic at Greenlane also recently made a sizeable donation of older model (and never used) magnifiers to volunteer ophthalmic services overseas (VOSO) for their trip to the Pacific Islands in an effort to support LV work on this history-making VOSO trip. We wish Naomi Meltzer and the rest of the VOSO team all the very best for this new chapter in VOSO’s evolution, said Grant.

If you would like to a refer a patient to the low vision service at Greenlane Clinical Centre, referral forms can be found on the Healthpoint website or email sandy@adhb.govt.nz. For questions, call 09 3074949 extn 27641.