ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION While the trauma of macular degeneration is diffi cult enough for some patients to cope with, the visual impairment left afterwards is even tougher. Patients must not only learn to accept the fate of retinal disease, but must also summon the strength to accept the fact that they will have to surrender a certain degree of independence as visual acuity declines. The visual rehabilitative process helps the visually impaired patient to regain a satisfactory level of independence and can be achieved by assisting the patient in learning to cope with the psychological, emotional, and economic aspects of vision loss through the use of optical, non-optical, and electronic devices and where there are some exciting new technologies available. Typically, this type of integrated, multidisciplinary rehabilitative process is necessary for patients with severe and profound visual impairment, that is, legal blindness.
