Epidemiological Analysis and Study of Social Welfare of Low Vision Patients

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To analysis the epidemiology, distribution of age, and social welfare statue of low vision patients. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of age, visual acuity, underlying ocular disease, and optical aids of 102 patients who visited our clinic from March 2004 to March 2006. We had an interview with patients about their educational background, jobs and registration of legal blindness. RESULTS: The mean age was 40.87+/-22.72 years old and the patients in their forties were most common. The most frequent cause of low vision included optic atrophy (16.7%), macular degeneration (15.7%), retinitis pigmentosa (11.8%), congenital cataract (10.8%), glaucoma (6.9%), amblyopia (6.9%). 42 patients had already got the registration for legal blindness but, 41 patients were newly registered during this study. Under 20 years old, there were 17 general school students, 4 special school students, and 1 preschool child. Over 20 years old, there were only 14 patients who got regular job and all patients have educational attainment under high school graduate except 10 patients. CONCLUSIONS: The epidemiology of low vision has been changed to the aging society. And the registration of legal blindness criteria and understanding of low vision need to be changed. Moreover, understanding how low vision impacts lives is important to be able to provide better social services in the future.