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Home \ Publications \ Specialist guides and publications \ Medical conditions \ Children's medical conditions \ Visual impairment

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How long will the needs last?

This guidance covers:-

Visual diseases

The need for attention is greatest in the early years but may diminish as the child matures. By the early teens the child with visual impairment may be a competent touch reader and may have learned to cope with traffic and how to move around in familiar surroundings without danger.

Age at date of claim Award Period
0 – 11 Care & L/R Mobility components – award to age 12 (or for 1 year whichever is greater)
12 - 15 Care & L/R Mobility components – award to age 16 (or for 1 year whichever is greater)

Deaf/blind deeming provision

Also consult the Hearing Impairment guidance for award duration advice.

Severely Visually Impaired (SVI) deeming provision

Entitlement to H/R Mobility under the SVI provisions is appropriate in the following circumstances -:
0 The child has been certified as severely visually impaired by a consultant Ophthalmologist AND their -:
Visual acuity is less than (<) 3/60 - An indefinite award is appropriate ;
or
Visual acuity is 3/60 or more but less than (<) 6/60 with a complete loss of peripheral visual field and a central visual field of no more than 10 degrees in total - An indefinite award is appropriate
Note: Visual field assessment in routine clinical practice is only possible in children over 7 years of age. Therefore, it should be taken into account whether the consultant has indicated that the child requires a retest when they are older to provide a more objective measurement of visual field.
Age at date of claim 0 – 8 Care & Mobility components – Indefinite award or to the age at which a re-test is suggested by the consultant
Note: Children under 8 who satisfy the H/R Mobility SVI provisions should be awarded indefinitely or to the age at which a re-test is suggested by the consultant.
Age at date of claim 9 – 15 An indefinite award is appropriate

Note:

If visual field measurements are obtained from sources other than from the HFR, the need for & age of re-test may not be shown. In these circumstances, the duration of award needs to be discussed with Medical Services.

All information must be taken into account when considering the duration of care and mobility needs. The duration of care and mobility needs must be based on the particular circumstances of the child.

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