A CVI triggers a referral for an assessment of the individual in order to provide them with what they need to remain as independent as possible, which may be help with everyday tasks such as cleaning and cooking, transport, rehabilitation, or getting equipment or aids that will be of use around the house. It also provides evidence for claiming concessions, such as help with NHS costs, council tax and public transport costs, and a reduced price television licence, though it is sensible to note that being in possession of a CVI does not, in itself, mean automatic entitlement to benefits.

According to the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB), as of 2014 there were around 350,000 individuals registered as visually impaired in the UK. However, the organisation adds that as of 2015, more that two million people in the UK were living with sight loss severe enough to have impact on their daily lives – for example by stopping them from driving. This number is set to rise due to an ageing population and an increase in medical conditions linked to vision problems such as diabetes and obesity. By 2030, the RNIB estimates there will be over 2.7 million people with sight loss in the UK, and over four million by 2050. 

Risk factors for sight loss include gender (nearly two thirds of those affected are women), learning disabilities, ethnicity (as people from black and minority ethnic communities are at increased risk of some of the leading causes of sight loss) and age: one in five aged 75 years and over have sight loss, and one in two aged 90 years and over.