The Visual Advice Centre Eindhoven (VAC–E) provides the partially sighted with advice and prescriptions for low vision aids and illumination. As a first step an assessment interview is held. The visual problems of the patient are inquired and the demands for help defined. The assessment interview provides information on the desirability for intervention by the social worker and the need for ADL and mobility training, advice on illumination at home and information about the visual handicap. An inventarisation of the demands for help, present low vision aids and other than visual restrictions is made during this interview.