There are three important principles for people with low vision when it comes to the provision of low vision services nationally. There should be a proportionately greater availability of services in areas with higher prevalence of low vision. The onus on communication and co-ordination should be on the service providers and not the service users. The findings Low vision services are unequally distributed throughout the country. The research showed that two out of every five service providers questioned do not offer any low vision services whatsoever.
Many people live at a significant distance from the nearest low vision service.
Given the transport and mobility problems encountered by people with serious sight problems, this means that many are excluded from services they need. There are parts of the country where prevalence of low vision is high but where there are no services at all. Many telling examples of variability in accessibility are apparent. For example, the differing criteria used to determine eligibility for and referral to low vision services. Although it is widely recognised that registration as blind or partially sighted is not a comprehensive indicator of disability, this is still used by some services as the sole criterion for referral to low vision services.