ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: To describe the comorbidity of visual impairment and disability among patients hospitalized for systemic illness and to discuss rehabilitation. DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: Hospital-based, academic tertiary medical center with referring neurology, ophthalmology, and rehabilitation units. PARTICIPANTS: Ninety-three hospitalized patients referred to the low vision rehabilitation clinic primarily by the physical medicine and rehabilitation and neurology units. INTERVENTIONS: Measurements of best-corrected visual acuity and other visual function testing. Referrals were made for prescriptive glasses, assistive devices, rehabilitation, resources, and ophthalmologic evaluation. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Specialized services, presence of comorbidities, and visual function measurements. RESULTS: The mean admitting visual acuity revealed a moderate visual impairment. The primary diagnosis for admission (51%) was cerebrovascular accidents. There was a mean of 3.5 other comorbidities. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of patients admitted to the hospital for systemic diseases also had visual impairments. In many patients, this visual disability (either from the systemic and/or ocular disease) interfered with their activities of daily living.
