Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To develop simulator goggles that produce disease-specific characteristics of selected low vision conditions for use in pharmacy education. METHODS: Individual sets of simulator goggles were developed for glaucoma, cataracts, macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and retinitis pigmentosa. Students rated the presence and severity of disease-specific characteristics after wearing each pair of goggles while manipulating medication-related materials. RESULTS: One hundred students completed the study. Characteristic symptoms for each disease state were experienced at a moderate to severe level (p < 0.0001). Subjects indicated a high level of agreement among symptom ratings for each disease (Kendall's coefficient = 0.82). CONCLUSIONS: Low vision simulator goggles reliably produced the characteristics of selected conditions experienced in a medication management environment. Further studies are needed to identify suitable patient-centered learning activities using these goggles.