Characteristics of a paediatric low vision population in a private eye hospital in India

Abstract

While private hospitals provide an important access point for low vision services for children in urban India, little is known about this service delivery route. A cross sectional survey was done of consecutive records of 220 children presenting at a newly opened paediatric low vision centre in a private eye hospital in Hyderabad. On presentation, 49% of the children were classified as moderately visually impaired, 31% were severely visually impaired and 20% were blind. The four major causes of visual impairment were the hereditary/genetic conditions of congenital glaucoma, hereditary macular degeneration, retinitis pigmentosa and albinism. Approach magnification was sufficient for required near tasks in all pre-school children and about 50% of school children. Provision of a distance refraction decreased the prevalence of severe visual impairment and blindness by 31%. The most commonly prescribed low vision devices were spectacles indicating a key role for optometry in the management of visual impairment in Indian children. Establishment of low vision clinics in existing Indian eye hospitals using associated optometric staff would be a cost effective method to minimise visual impairment in Indian children.

Clinical Characteristics and Low Vision Rehabilitation Methods for Partially Sighted School-Age Children

“…3,9,10,11 Consistent with the literature, the gender distribution in our study group was 58.7% male and 41.3% female. In a study conducted by Cardiff University in the United Kingdom, 67% of the children were male.…”

Profile of visual impairment in children attending low vision clinic of Nepal Eye Hospital

“…Similarly, congenital glaucoma, hereditary macular degenerati on, reti niti s pigmentosa and albinism were found as the major four causes of visual impairment in a survey performed in another Indian populati on. 15 In a multi -conti nent survey performed by Gilbert et al, 16 reti nal lesion and amblyopia were the commonest causes of visual impairment. In Pakistani children, the major causes of visual impairment found were nystagmus (15%), Stargardt's disease (14%), maculopathy (13%), myopic macular degenerati on (11%) and oculocutaneous albinism (7%).…”

Avoidable blindness and its correction in schools for the blind in Gujarat, India

“…6 It has been estimated that the global prevalence of paediatric low vision is over 10 times that of paediatric blindness, with 7 million children worldwide having low vision due to ocular disease and a further 10 million children worldwide, with low vision due to uncorrected refractive error. 7 Since UNICEF defines childhood as 0 to 16 years inclusive, this study was restricted to children 16 years and below. There are some biases inherent in any study.…”