**7. Challenges in practices and application**

As of today, many of us do not view smartphones as assistive technology for visual impairment. One of various reasons for it is, the healthcare providers, caregivers, even eye care professionals have a lack of awareness and understanding of the beneficial aspects of such smart mobile technologies, resulting in a lack of recommendation [33]. There are hardly any studies available about awareness on accessible apps among eye care providers or caregivers. Such studies are needed in the future while addressing the issues. Increasing accessibility and access or use of smartphones in persons with visual impairment requires sensitization and making understand the mainstream eye care providers, medical practitioners, including primary health physician, caregivers, family members at the fore front, even to a large section of the community. Therefore, digital literacy and providing information on accessible applications and features are required at all level health care delivery or hospitals, community, before generating awareness and skills development amongst beneficiaries. Accomplishing these activities should be one of the priorities of the vision rehabilitationists or low vision specialists, medical social workers, formal and informal community-based organization delivering services to visually disabled people. In this, the integration of assistive technology services for visual impairment, including smartphones into eye care practices or other related services for disabled could be worthwhile. There is a need for involvement of multiple sectors for such a large-scale activities, since involving only health sector is less likely to be a successful strategy. For example, educational sector for generating awareness among teachers, students; Information and Technology sector for enhancing learning, communication channels, labour market for easy availability, etc. should be involved in the awareness activities.

In addition, the relevant minitrial divisions of a country should have a policy to address the gap in the services of assistive technology for visual impairment, including smartphones and demands in their respective countries. International organization like The World Health Organization, Global Alliance for Assistive

*Smartphones for Vision Rehabilitation: Accessible Features and Apps, Opportunity… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.97703*

technology, UN convention for Rights for persons with Disabilities can support countries' policy and planning for assistive technology services, including service related to smartphones for disabled as a whole.

The number of accessible apps and accessible features are continuously growing over time for people with visual impairment. Designers are continuously fostering to develop more innovative and readily accessible, and user-friendly apps for visual impairment. These may lead to complexity on use of apps, since each app has a special function though some functions are overlapped. There is not a single app that fits all purposes. Therefore, initial assessment of the requirement for the apps will be required and followed by tailoring the training program to meet the specific needs. There is a need of developing training guidelines on use of such accessible apps or features that will facilitate to recommend appropriately for various types of functions and vision loss, e.g., reduced vision acuity, visual field loss, reduced contrast sensitivity or clinical findings. Using multiple apps in a smartphone may consume more power from the battery. So, there is a need of a good quality battery to operate extended periods of time, especially for smartphones used by visually impaired people. A due attention to improve awareness, on digital training, data security, back-up in the event of lost or theft of smartphones could be challenges among people with visual impairment.
