An Overview of Low Vision Aids

Low vision is something that will cause hindrance in one’s daily activities. These problems are on the rise amongst the Indian population nowadays. Low vision is one of the emerging problems which needs immediate attention. Blindness is one of the most critical aspects of low vision. In a survey conducted at the national level in 1989-90, approximately 12 million people of India accounted for about 1.5% who were blind presented with a visual acuity of about <6/60 in the eye with better vision. Visual impairment possesses a financial burden, which is why we cannot pay attention to it . Funding by the government in this sector should be the thing which should be taken care of. The rehabilitative purpose of low aids is to help people perform their daily chores without any disturbances. Low vision aids are different depending on different age groups of the population. Spectacles are commonly used measures to correct low vision, but they are not socially acceptable. There is a stigma still associated with spectacles, so the person wearing them feels insecure about it. Low vision is not always necessarily associated with any disease of the eye. Negligence associated with low vision causes an increase in the number of blind cases overall. Depending upon the type of visual loss, appropriate corrective measures can be brought into force. In the current scenario, covid-19 is also one of the leading causes of the growing number of eye diseases globally due to the online platforms used.

The Eye Van – An Evaluation of the Quality of Care of Visually Impaired People in the Rural Areas of South Baden

Background Especially in rural areas, access of visually impaired people to ophthalmic care and counselling can be limited. The Eye Van is a project supported by the Ministry for Rural Affairs and Consumer Protection Baden-Württemberg which offers visually impaired people an on-the-spot ophthalmological examination and counselling on low-vision aids and social support services. The aim of this project was to evaluate the quality of care provided to visually impaired people in the rural areas of South Baden. Materials and Methods Between 2016 and 2019, 45 villages in South Baden participated in this project. The visits were advertised in the local press. Appointments were assigned and participant eligibility was assessed over the telephone by the local Federation of the Blind and Partially Sighted in South Baden. During the on-site visits, a medical history was obtained from participants, who then received a comprehensive ophthalmological examination and counselling on low-vision aids and social support services. Interviews were conducted in order to determine the expectations of the participants and to assess their quality of life. A second interview, focused on the measures that had been implemented and changes in the participantsʼ quality of life, was carried out three months later. Results In total, 264 participants were examined. Of these, 101 participants fulfilled the criteria of moderate/severe visual impairment or blindness defined by the WHO (World Health Organization). The mean age of the visually impaired participants was 85 years. The median decimal visual acuity was 0.08. The median length of time since the participantsʼ last ophthalmological examination was one year. Among the visually impaired participants, 13% did not have any low-vision aids. Their use was recommended to 62% of the visually impaired participants. The main expectation of participants was counselling on low-vision aids and support services. Among all the participants, 42 did one interview and 28 did two interviews. In the second interview, 72% of the participants claimed to have implemented the recommendations. There was no statistically significant change in their quality of life. Conclusion The access of visually impaired people to ophthalmic care does not seem to be limited in the rural areas of South Baden. Nevertheless, there was a high demand for counselling on low-vision aids and social support services.

Clinical Outcomes of Use of Low Vision Aids for Enhancement of Residual Vision in Diabetic Retinopathy

Purpose: To investigate clinical outcomes of use of low vision aids for enhancement of residual vision in people with Diabetic Retinopathy (DR). Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Hayatabad Medical Complex Peshawar, from January 2018 to December 2019. Methods: Eighty-one consecutive patients with DR were assessed in a low vision clinic for vision rehabilitation. Data regarding distance and near visual acuity (VA), refractive error, types of low vision aids (LVAs), VA with best correction and with LVAs were collected and analyzed. Results: A total of 81 people with DR, 63% were male. Mean age was 58.48 ± 13.54 years. With mean duration of 12.6 years of diabetes, 29.6% had Insulin dependent while 70.4% had non-Insulin dependent diabetes. At presentation, 63% had moderate vision impairment (0.5 > VA > 1.0), 14.8% had severe vision impairment (1.0 > VA > 1.3) and 22.2% had blindness (VA < 1.3).With LVAs, 97.5% achieved distance VA of Log MAR 0.4 or better. Mean improvement in distance VA with LVAs was Log MAR 0.95 ± 0.19 (P = 0.000; 95% CI). Near VA improved significantly with LVAs and the number of participants who could see 1M or better with their own glasses increased from 7.4% to 97.5% (p < 0.001). Binocular telescopes 2.1X were the most preferred low vision device for distance vision and prismatic magnifying spectacles for near vision. Conclusion: Visual rehabilitation through the use of LVAs was helpful in patients with low vision caused by diabetic retinopathy. Hence, improving the quality of life. Key Words: Diabetic retinopathy, blindness, visual rehabilitation, low vision aids, Pakistan.