A person in a rural setting uses telehealth for a vision exam, symbolizing accessible healthcare.

Telehealth for Low Vision: A Clearer Path Forward

Rhea Morgan in Health & Wellness December 2025 • 4 min read.

"Discover how telehealth is transforming low-vision care, offering accessible and cost-effective solutions for patients in rural areas."

Early intervention is crucial in managing low vision to prevent further decline in functionality. While basic low-vision services are helpful, combining them with comprehensive rehabilitation significantly improves outcomes, particularly for individuals with visual acuity worse than 20/63. The challenge, however, lies in accessibility, especially for those in rural communities who must travel long distances to reach specialized clinics.

Telehealth offers a promising solution by bringing low-vision optometry evaluations directly to patients through virtual assessments. These evaluations thoroughly assess a patient's functional vision, allowing optometrists to address their concerns and provide crucial knowledge about their condition. This approach not only helps prevent depression associated with vision loss but also prepares patients for further rehabilitation.

Following the virtual optometry evaluation, a blind rehabilitation therapist conducts an initial telehealth assessment, equipping patients with adaptive skills tailored for their home environment. By reducing the need for extensive travel, telehealth makes specialized care more accessible, timely, and cost-effective, benefiting both patients and their families.

The Impact of Telehealth on Low-Vision Care: Breaking Down Barriers

A person in a rural setting uses telehealth for a vision exam, symbolizing accessible healthcare.

A study was conducted to evaluate the practicality and benefits of low-vision telerehabilitation, focusing on travel cost and time savings. The research compared the travel burden for veterans accessing care at the Buffalo Veterans Affairs (VA) facility versus local community-based outpatient centers (CBOCs) or local VAs offering telerehabilitation services. The objective was to quantify the acceptance and practicality of telehealth in low-vision care.

The study found that veterans who opted for telerehabilitation at local CBOCs or VAs, rather than traveling to the Buffalo VA, significantly reduced their travel distance. Here’s a breakdown of the key findings:

Increased Access: Implementation of telehealth services from fiscal year (FY) 13 to FY 17 resulted in a 24% increase in low-vision patient care.
Significant Savings: The median saving of travel miles for rural veterans was 122 miles per veteran.
Time Efficiency: Veterans saved a median of 2.09 hours in travel time.
Cost Reduction: The median saving in travel costs was $65.29 per veteran, calculated using the standard IRS mileage rate.

These results clearly demonstrate that low-vision telerehabilitation is not only accepted and practical but also offers significant time and cost savings compared to traditional in-person consultations. By eliminating the need for long-distance travel, telehealth provides a valuable alternative for veterans seeking specialized vision care.

The Future of Low-Vision Care: Expanding Access Through Technology

This study reinforces the importance of telehealth in delivering accessible and cost-effective low-vision care. By reducing travel burdens and improving early intervention, telerehabilitation increases access to specialized services for veterans, particularly those in rural areas.

The success of this model highlights the potential for further expansion of telehealth services in low-vision care. As technology advances, more sophisticated tools can be integrated to enhance virtual consultations and provide even more comprehensive support to patients.

Ultimately, a modern, interconnected low-vision telerehabilitation system can provide simpler, faster, and more affordable services for individuals with partial sight or legal blindness, ensuring that quality vision care is within reach for everyone.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.1089/tmj.2018.0092, Alternate LINK

Title: Travel Cost Savings And Practicality For Low-Vision Telerehabilitation

Subject: Health Information Management

Journal: Telemedicine and e-Health

Publisher: Mary Ann Liebert Inc

Authors: Carolyn Ihrig

Published: 2019-07-01

Everything You Need To Know

How does telehealth improve access to low-vision care for patients in remote areas?

Telehealth brings low-vision optometry evaluations directly to patients through virtual assessments. These evaluations thoroughly assess a patient's functional vision, allowing optometrists to address their concerns and provide crucial knowledge about their condition. Following the virtual optometry evaluation, a blind rehabilitation therapist conducts an initial telehealth assessment, equipping patients with adaptive skills tailored for their home environment. This reduces travel, making specialized care more accessible, timely, and cost-effective.

Why is early intervention so important in managing low vision, and how does telehealth support it?

Early intervention in managing low vision is critical for preventing further decline in functionality. While basic low-vision services are helpful, combining them with comprehensive rehabilitation significantly improves outcomes, particularly for individuals with visual acuity worse than 20/63. Telehealth facilitates early intervention by making evaluations and rehabilitation more accessible, especially for those in rural communities.

What were the key findings of the study evaluating the impact of low-vision telerehabilitation on veterans?

The implementation of telehealth services from fiscal year (FY) 13 to FY 17 resulted in a 24% increase in low-vision patient care. The median saving of travel miles for rural veterans was 122 miles per veteran, saving a median of 2.09 hours in travel time and a median of $65.29 in travel costs per veteran. These results demonstrate that low-vision telerehabilitation is accepted, practical, and offers significant time and cost savings.

What are the overall implications of telehealth in transforming low-vision care accessibility and affordability?

Telehealth offers a practical approach to delivering accessible and cost-effective low-vision care, especially for veterans in rural areas. This model facilitates timely access to low-vision optometry evaluations and blind rehabilitation therapy, preventing depression associated with vision loss and prepares patients for further rehabilitation. By adopting telerehabilitation, healthcare providers can extend their reach, ensuring more individuals receive the specialized care they need without the burden of extensive travel.

What specific challenges in low-vision care does telehealth address, and what additional components could enhance this model?

Telehealth addresses challenges in accessing specialized care, especially for those in rural communities who must travel long distances to reach specialized clinics. This virtual approach brings low-vision optometry evaluations and blind rehabilitation therapy directly to patients, reducing the need for extensive travel. While not explicitly mentioned, this model could also incorporate remote monitoring and support groups, further enhancing patient care and reducing the feeling of isolation often experienced by individuals with low vision.