Need of optical aids for schools for blind students in Pune and Nasik districts and compliance of their use

Purpose: To assess the need for spectacles and low?vision aids (LVA) in students attending schools for the blind and study their compliance with use. Methods: Comprehensive ocular evaluation was performed using a hand?held slit lamp and ophthalmoscope. Vision acuity was measured using a logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) chart for distance, as well as for near. Spectacles and LVAs were dispensed after refraction and LVA trial. Follow?up was performed to assess the vision using the LV Prasad Functional Vision Questionnaire (LVP?FVQ) along with compliance with use after 6 months. Results: Of the 456 students examined from six schools, 188 (41.2%) were female; 147 (32.2%) were <10 years of age. In all, 362 (79.4%) were blind since birth. The students dispensed only LVAs were 25 (5.5%), only spectacles were 55 (12.1%), and both spectacle and LVAs were 10 (2.2%). The vision improved using LVAs in 26 (5.7%) and using spectacles in 64 (9.6%). There was a significant improvement in LVP?FVQ scores (P < 0.001). Also, 68/90 students were available for follow?up, of whom 43 (63.2%) were compliant to use. Causes of not wearing spectacles or LVA in 25 were left somewhere or lost 13 (52%), broken 3 (12%), uncomfortable to use 6 (24%), not interested to use 2 (8%), and got operated 1 (4%). Conclusion: Although the dispensing of LVA and spectacles improved the visual acuity and vision function of 90/456 (19.7%) students, nearly a third were not using them after 6 months. Efforts need to be taken to improve the compliance of use

Improving assistive technology access to students with low vision and blindness in Delhi: A school-based model

Purpose: Assistive technology (AT) has recently received considerable attention around the world. Studies have shown poor access to assistive technology for visual impairment (ATVI) in schools for the blind in India. The present article aimed at designing a school?based model to improve AT access in schools and provide hands?on training, and identify types of ocular morbidities present among students. Methods: The vision rehabilitation (VR) team of a tertiary eye?care center visited schools for the blind as a part of community? based VR services. The team conducted a basic eye examination and assessed best?corrected vision acuity (BCVA) and provided VR services. Furthermore, two schools were selected to establish an ATVI learning center as a pilot model. Results: In total, 1887 students were registered for VR and obtained their disability certificates in 2019?20. Retina problems (25.7%), globe abnormalities (25.5%), optic nerve atrophy (13.6%), and squint (12.0%) were common ocular problems identified in students. Around 50.3% of students had BCVA ³ 1/60 in the better eye who would be benefited from visual?based AT, and the remaining students with visual substitution AT. Further, 20.8% of them who had near vision between N18 to N24 would be benefitted from large print books. Two schools were provided ATVI with support from the WHO. Familiarization, demonstration, and initial training for ATVI were carried out. Conclusion: A sizable number of the students would be benefitted from visual?based AT apart from visual substitutions AT. Students were interested to have such ATVI centers in the school for academic and non?academic skills development.

Clinical profile of childhood blindness and inappropriate enrolment of children in schools for visually impaired in Uttar Pradesh, India

Purpose: To assess major causes of severe visual impairment (SVI)/blindness (BL) in children studying in schools for the blind in western Uttar Pradesh, India and the extent of inappropriate enrolment of children in blind schools. Methods: Students of five schools for the blind were examined in a tertiary care eye hospital. The anatomical sites and etiology for SVI/BL were recorded using the World Health Organization/Prevention of Blindness standard reporting form. Categorical variable were summarized using frequencies and percentages. Results: A total of 93 students were examined. Male/Female ratio was 3.4:1. The most common anatomical sites of SVI/BL were the whole globe (40.3%) and the cornea (26.4%). Postnatal or childhood causes were noted in 13.8% cases. Forty-one (56.9%) students had hereditary diseases which was most likely caused by chromosomal abnormalities. Three students were having an associated disability, one was deaf and mute, one was physically handicapped, and one was intellectually challenged. Fifty-four (58%) children were blind and 21 (22.6%) children had no visual impairment but were studying in schools for the blind. Conclusion: Schools for the blind should be screened routinely to reduce the incidence of misdiagnosed visual impairment. This will prevent inappropriate enrolment and will definitely help in reducing the social and economic burden of society and of the schools of blind too.

A comparative study of the subjective well-being between students in junior high schools for the blind and the normal junior high school students / 中华行为医学与脑科学杂志

Objective To study and compare the present situation and the difference in subjective well-being between students in junior high schools for the blind and normal junior high school students, and provide basis for the construction of education mode for the well-being of the blind students. Methods By random sampling method, subjective well-being questionnaire was used to investigate the 155 blind students in five blind schools and 436 normal junior high school students in three junior high schools in Shandong Province. Results ( 1 ) The blind students had shown significant differences in many aspects of subjective well-being such as gender, family e-conomic status, sight and parents'education degree (P<0. 05) . (2) Blind school students'social confidence experience (4. 59 ±1.13) was significantly higher than that of the normal students (4.31 ±1.13), and had a significant difference (P<0.05). Blind students got significantly lower scores ((4. 38 ± 1.26) , (4.00 ± 1. 29) ,(3. 58 ± 1. 37) ,(3.89 ± 1. 35) ,(4.41 ± 1.04) , (4. 20 ± 1. 33) ) than normal school students( (4.68 ± 1. 19) , (4. 36 ±1.14),(3.88±1.27),(4.41 ±1.25),(4.61 ±0.99), (4. 52 ± 1. 18)) in target value experience, physical health experience, mental health experience, interpersonal adaptability experience self-acceptance experience, and emotional balance experience. Conclusion There exists a significant difference between the blind students and the normal junior high school students in the different aspects of subjective well-being.