The Experiences of Living with a Visual Impairment in Peru: Personal, Medical, and Educational Perspectives

Background: Nearly 5 million people in Peru live with visual impairments, many of which are irreversible. within addition to eye care services, these individuals could benefit from government services and rehabilitation to improve their quality of life and promote equitable, inclusive social participation. Although numerous government policies address this, little is known about their perception and implementation. Methods: Semi-structured individual online interviews were conducted with 29 people (7 low vision, 12 blind, 6 educators/rehabilitators, 4 medical doctors) in Peru between July and November 2024. Each participant was asked to respond to the same 16 open-ended questions. Their transcripts were coded into themes in 5 domains: assistive devices, vision rehabilitation services, government assistance programs, accessibility for people with visual impairments, and eye care services. The themes were compared among members of each group. Results: Themes from educators/rehabilitators aligned well with those with blindness but much less with ophthalmologists and those with low vision. Participants mentioned that assistive devices are not traditionally provided by the government. There was little mention of vision rehabilitation services, particularly from low vision participants. Additionally, participants with visual impairments mentioned a lack of sensitivity from teachers, employers, and transport drivers. Interestingly, none of the participants with visual impairments benefitted from financial assistance. Conclusions: Many of the barriers are societal, referring to the lack of understanding from the public in relation to employment, education, transportation, or the use of assistive devices. People with visual impairments and educators should be included in any policy decisions to promote equality for Peruvians with vision loss.