ABSTRACT
This chapter looks at the nature of the patients seen in ophthalmic or in primary care settings. The ophthalmic patient may be of any age and from any background. Ophthalmic conditions affect all age groups – ranging from a few days to more than 100 years old – although, in most ophthalmic settings, the majority of patients seen are elderly. It discusses the research carried out by the Royal National Institute of Blind People suggested that there are three times more people eligible for registration as sight-impaired or severely sight-impaired than are in fact registered. The National Assistance Act 1948 directed all local authorities to compile a register of blind and partially sighted people residing in their area and to provide advice, guidance and services to enable them and their families to maintain their independence and to live as full a life as possible.
