Clinical profiles, referral patterns and low vision aid prescribing across four rehabilitation centres in Ghana: protocol for a multicentre retrospective record review.

BACKGROUND

Low vision, defined as best-corrected visual acuity of less than 6/18 in the better eye or a visual field constriction of 20° or less, is a condition in which residual vision may be optimized through optical and non-optical aids. Despite the importance of low vision services in maximizing residual vision and supporting rehabilitation and quality of life, evidence on patient profiles and service delivery in Ghana remains limited. The HM KNUST Low Vision Project aims to address this service gap through a multicentre retrospective medical record review across four centres, characterizing patient profiles, referral patterns, and low vision aid prescribing to inform the strengthening of low vision services in Ghana.

METHODS

The HM KNUST Low Vision Project is a collaboration between the Department of Optometry and Visual Science at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana, and the Department of Applied Sciences and Mechatronics at Munich University of Applied Sciences, Germany. As part of this collaboration a comprehensive low vision patient form was developed in collaboration with Ghanaian optometric stakeholders and distributed to clinicians across selected pilot eye care facilities. The form captures biodata, systemic health, visual characteristics, referral patterns, and low vision aid prescriptions to facilitate standardized data collection across centres. Descriptive statistics will summarize patient characteristics, clinical profiles, referral patterns, and low vision aid prescribing. Inferential analyses will assess associations between patient and clinical characteristics, referral patterns, and prescribing patterns across participating centres.

DISCUSSION: This study will provide multicentre evidence on low vision service delivery in Ghana, offering insights to guide rehabilitation services, clinical decision-making, and service planning. The standardized patient form will enable consistent characterization of patient needs, referral pathways, and low vision aid prescribing across centres, establishing an important foundation for improving the accessibility, consistency, and responsiveness of low vision care in Ghana.