Low vision is reduced eyesight that cannot be fully corrected with conventional eyeglasses, contact lenses, medication, or surgery and that interferes with everyday activities.

People with low vision may have difficulty reading, watching television, recognizing faces, driving, or performing other tasks that require clear vision.

Low vision does not necessarily mean total blindness. Many individuals retain useful sight that can potentially be enhanced with specialized optical systems, magnification, improved lighting, and other low vision aids.

Low vision can result from many eye diseases, inherited conditions, injuries, and other causes.

Common causes include:

• Age-related macular degeneration (AMD)
• Diabetic retinopathy
• Glaucoma
• Retinitis pigmentosa
• Stargardt disease
• Albinism
• Congenital eye conditions
• Eye injuries and trauma
• Other retinal and optic nerve disorders

Cataracts can also reduce vision, although cataract-related vision loss may often be improved with surgery.

While understanding the cause of vision loss is important, an advanced low vision evaluation focuses on how much functional vision remains and how it can best be used.

Most individuals with macular degeneration can benefit from customized low vision glasses, including specialized telescopic and microscopic lens systems.

These devices do not cure macular degeneration or reverse retinal damage. Instead, they use optical magnification and other techniques to help patients perform specific activities with their remaining vision.

The amount of improvement depends on the individual’s vision, goals, and response to the optical systems demonstrated during the evaluation.

An advanced low vision evaluation focuses on improving functional vision rather than primarily diagnosing or treating eye disease.

The evaluation generally lasts approximately 1–2 hours and involves several important steps:

1. Understanding your goals: The doctor discusses the activities that have become difficult and develops a personalized wish list of tasks you would like to accomplish.
2. Detailed vision testing: Your remaining vision is carefully measured, including whether conventional prescription lenses could provide additional improvement.
3. Demonstration of specialized optical systems: Depending on your needs, the doctor may evaluate telescopic, microscopic, prismatic, and other magnification systems.
4. Lighting and working-distance assessment: Appropriate illumination, magnification, field of view, and working distance are evaluated for specific tasks.
5. Reviewing the results: The doctor discusses which systems, if any, provide meaningful improvement and whether customized low vision glasses are appropriate.

Unlike a routine medical eye examination, a low vision evaluation does not ordinarily focus on dilation or a comprehensive assessment of eye disease. Patients should continue receiving medical eye care from their regular eye doctor.

An advanced low vision specialist has additional expertise in evaluating functional vision and using specialized optical systems to help people with significant vision loss.

This includes understanding magnification, optical design, field of view, working distance, depth of focus, and the advantages and limitations of different low vision devices.

Rather than simply prescribing stronger conventional glasses, the specialist evaluates the patient’s specific activities and determines whether customized telescopic, microscopic, prismatic, or other systems may help.

Low vision care also involves working closely with patients and families to establish realistic expectations, understand daily challenges, and identify practical solutions.

Our comprehensive advanced low vision evaluation typically lasts 1–2 hours and costs $495.

This specialized evaluation is not covered by Medicare or private medical insurance through our practice.

Before scheduling, we offer a free initial review of available eye records and a telephone consultation to help determine whether an evaluation may be worthwhile.

Customized low vision glasses typically range from approximately $2,500 to $7,000, with many systems costing around $5,000.

The final cost depends on several factors:

• Type of optical system, such as telescopic, microscopic, or prismatic lenses
• Whether the system is designed for one eye or both eyes
• Required level of magnification
• Individual eyeglass prescription
• Frame and lens design
• Number and complexity of tasks the system is intended to address

Low vision glasses are generally task-specific. A system designed for watching television may differ significantly from one designed for reading or other close-up activities.

In some situations, one optical system may accommodate more than one activity, but this is not always possible.

Our advanced low vision evaluations and customized low vision optical systems are not covered by Medicare or private insurance through our practice.

We understand that specialized low vision care represents an important financial decision. Financing options may be available to qualified patients through CareCredit.

Learn more about our healthcare financing options.

One of the most important parts of our advanced low vision evaluation is the opportunity to experience specialized optical systems before making a purchase decision.

When appropriate, the doctor demonstrates telescopic, microscopic, prismatic, or other low vision systems and evaluates their effectiveness on the activities that matter most to you.

This allows both the patient and doctor to assess whether meaningful functional improvement is possible before proceeding with a customized order.

Once the completed optical system is ready, its performance and fit are reviewed during the custom fitting appointment.

Customized low vision optical systems generally require approximately 6–8 weeks for fabrication after the order is placed.

Because these are individually designed optical systems rather than conventional eyeglasses, production times can vary depending on the complexity of the lenses and other specifications.

Our office will contact you when your glasses are ready to arrange your custom fitting appointment.

In many cases, changes to a patient’s eyeglass prescription or magnification requirements can be accommodated without replacing the entire optical system.

The available adjustments depend on the design of the glasses, the nature of the vision change, and the patient’s current visual needs.

Our practice offers a 12-month prescription-change warranty for qualifying customized low vision glasses. Specific warranty terms and eligibility should be reviewed when ordering.

If your vision changes, we recommend contacting our office to discuss whether a reassessment or adjustment may be appropriate.

Not necessarily. Customized low vision glasses are often designed for particular tasks, such as reading, watching television, recognizing faces, or viewing objects at specific distances.

Different activities may require different levels of magnification, fields of view, and working distances.

During your evaluation, the doctor will determine whether one optical system can accommodate multiple goals or whether different solutions would be more effective.

Our free initial consultation is designed to help determine whether a comprehensive low vision evaluation may be appropriate before you invest the time and expense of an appointment.

The process generally begins with reviewing available eye records and discussing your current vision, daily challenges, and goals.

We may ask about:

• Your eye condition and recent vision measurements
• Activities you are having difficulty performing
• Previous glasses, magnifiers, or other devices you have tried
• Your mobility and functional vision needs
• What you hope to accomplish through low vision care

Based on this information, we can discuss whether scheduling a comprehensive low vision evaluation may be beneficial.

The initial consultation is not a substitute for an in-person examination, and the effectiveness of specialized optical systems cannot be determined with certainty over the telephone.

Low Vision Specialists of Maryland & Virginia provides advanced low vision care for patients with macular degeneration and other conditions affecting functional eyesight.

Our Maryland office is located at 1427 Clarkview Road, Suite 200, Baltimore, MD 21209. We also provide low vision services at locations in Virginia by appointment.

To learn about available appointment locations, begin the initial screening process, or discuss your vision concerns, please contact our office.

Maryland: 410-467-4065

Virginia: 703-429-9640