ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to examine the quality of assessment and the utilisation of optical low vision aids (OLVAs) among people with visual impairment (VI) in Taiwan. METHODS: The study included 577 participants between 4 and 100 years of age (314 males and 263 females). All participants had been certified by the Ministry of the Interior of Taiwan, indicating that they had undergone a thorough and comprehensive low vision assessment, including evaluation of visual acuity (VA), contrast sensitivity, colour vision, visual fields and glare disability. Furthermore, all participants who consented to refraction had received prescriptions for OLVAs. RESULT: All participants were prescribed one or more OLVAs such as eyeglasses, tinted lenses, magnifiers, closed-circuit television magnifiers, telescopes, or screen magnifiers. Among the 577 individuals, 515 received correction for refractive errors, providing the best-corrected VA (BCVA). The improvement in VA was significant at both distance and near, improving from 1.29 ± 0.55 to 1.01 ± 0.52 logMAR (p < 0.001) and from 1.29 ± 0.56 to 1.01 ± 0.52 logMAR (p < 0.001), respectively. Eyeglasses were the primary OLVAs chosen by 333 participants (64.7%), while 53.3%-80.3% of participants combined eyeglasses with other OLVAs to enhance their visual performance. CONCLUSIONS: The most commonly used and effective OLVA was eyeglasses. Skilfully utilising appropriate refractive and VA measurements is crucial for determining the most suitable and beneficial OLVA for individuals with VI.
ABSTRACT
According to Taiwan optometry act, low-vision services, such as refractive correction and low vision assessment, are now included in Optometric profession. This study was designed to investigate the efficiency of refractive correction and the relationship between refractive correction, eye diseases, visual symptoms, and optical device selection for patients with low vision. METHODS: This study involved a total of 220 participants aged from 7 to 99, with 119 males and 101 females. All of them were referred from three institutes of Taiwan Resource Portal of Assistive Technology under the supervision of the Ministry of Health and Welfare during Feb 2016 to Jan 2018. Accordingly, 42, 76, and 102 of the participants were identified as having mild, moderate, and severe visual impairments, respectively, by five experienced and licensed optometrists for this comprehensive low vision examination. RESULTS: The most common eye diseases in this study were retinal disease, cataract, glaucoma, and optic nerve hypoplasia; some of the participants had multiple eye diseases while participating in the study. Except visual acuity decrease, eye diseases were highly correlated with participants' visual symptoms. Refractive correction is the first step in low-vision examination, therefore, it might be much helpful to some types of eye diseases, visual symptoms, and to the decisions of optical devices for low-vision patients. The results herein suggest that color vision and contrast sensitivity should be taken into consideration when calculating the second optical magnifying power after refractive correction. CONCLUSIONS: Refractive correction is necessary for the treatment of patients' visual symptoms and also for the prescription of low-vision aids
Con arreglo a la ley de Optometría de Taiwán, los servicios de baja visión, tales como la corrección refractiva y la evaluación de la baja visión, se incluyen ahora en la profesión optométrica. Este estudio fue diseñado para investigar la eficiencia de la corrección refractiva y la relación entre corrección refractiva, enfermedades oculares, síntomas visuales, y selección del dispositivo óptico para pacientes con baja visión. MÉTODOS: Este estudio incluyó a un total de 220 participantes, 119 varones y 101 mujeres, con edades comprendidas entre 7 y 99 años. Todos ellos procedían de tres institutos del Portal de Recursos de Tecnología Asistencial de Taiwán, bajo la supervisión del Ministerio de Sanidad y Bienestar, desde febrero de 2016 a enero de 2018. En total, se identificaron 42, 76, y 102 participantes con trastornos visuales leves, moderados y graves, respectivamente, por parte de cinco optometristas experimentados y licenciados, para este amplio examen de baja visión. RESULTADOS: Las enfermedades oculares más comunes en este estudio fueron: enfermedad retiniana, cataratas, glaucoma, e hipoplasia del nervio óptico. Algunos de los participantes tenían enfermedades oculares múltiples cuando participaron en el estudio. Exceptuando la disminución de la agudeza visual, las enfermedades oculares guardaron una alta correlación con los síntomas visuales de los participantes. La corrección refractiva es el primer paso del examen de la baja visión y, por tanto, podría resultar muy útil para ciertos tipos de enfermedades oculares, síntomas visuales, y para la toma de decisiones sobre los dispositivos ópticos para los pacientes con baja visión. Los resultados del presente estudio sugieren que la visión del color y la sensibilidad al contraste deberían tenerse en consideración a la hora de calcular la segunda potencia de magnificación óptica tras la corrección refractiva. CONCLUSIONES: La corrección refractiva es necesaria para el tratamiento de los síntomas visuales de los pacientes, y también para la prescripción de dispositivos ópticos para los pacientes con baja visión
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Child , Adolescent , Young Adult , Adult , Middle Aged , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Optometry , Refractive Errors/diagnosis , Refractive Errors/rehabilitation , Vision, Low , Optical Devices , Eye Diseases/classification , Eye Diseases/diagnosis , Visual Acuity , Vision Tests , TaiwanABSTRACT
According to Taiwan optometry act, low-vision services, such as refractive correction and low vision assessment, are now included in Optometric profession. This study was designed to investigate the efficiency of refractive correction and the relationship between refractive correction, eye diseases, visual symptoms, and optical device selection for patients with low vision. METHODS: This study involved a total of 220 participants aged from 7 to 99, with 119 males and 101 females. All of them were referred from three institutes of Taiwan Resource Portal of Assistive Technology under the supervision of the Ministry of Health and Welfare during Feb 2016 to Jan 2018. Accordingly, 42, 76, and 102 of the participants were identified as having mild, moderate, and severe visual impairments, respectively, by five experienced and licensed optometrists for this comprehensive low vision examination. RESULTS: The most common eye diseases in this study were retinal disease, cataract, glaucoma, and optic nerve hypoplasia; some of the participants had multiple eye diseases while participating in the study. Except visual acuity decrease, eye diseases were highly correlated with participants' visual symptoms. Refractive correction is the first step in low-vision examination, therefore, it might be much helpful to some types of eye diseases, visual symptoms, and to the decisions of optical devices for low-vision patients. The results herein suggest that color vision and contrast sensitivity should be taken into consideration when calculating the second optical magnifying power after refractive correction. CONCLUSIONS: Refractive correction is necessary for the treatment of patients' visual symptoms and also for the prescription of low-vision aids.
