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Results for “Persons with Visual Disabilities”

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At least 829 records · Page 46Linked to original sources
PubMed2004

Quality of life after community-based rehabilitation for blind persons in a rural population of South India.

This study aimed to determine the impact of community-based rehabilitation on the quality of life of blind persons in a rural south Indian population. We performed a population-based survey followed by clinical examinations to identify blind persons in a rural south Indian population. Pre-and-post rehabilitation quality of life of 159 blind persons aged 15 years or above was ascertained through a questionnaire previously validated for use in this population. Post-rehabilitation quality-of-life scales showed some improvement for 151 (95.0%) subjects. The additional benefit from rehabilitation was greatest for the self-care and mobility subscales, ranging from 24.6% to 30.0% for the self care subscale and 37.6% to 44.3% for the mobility subscale with effect sizes of 21.5 and 2.38 respectively. Overall quality of life scores were not significantly different between those who did and did not receive economic rehabilitation (P = 0.1). Blind persons in this rural population benefited considerably from rehabilitation services even if economic rehabilitation is not provided. Initiatives against blindness need to consider rehabilitation of the blind as a priority.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Causes of childhood blindness in a school for the visually impaired in Hong Kong.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the causes of blindness in children attending a school for the blind in Hong Kong. DESIGN: Cross-sectional observational study. SETTING: School for blind children in Hong Kong. PARTICIPANTS: Eighty-two blind students at the Ebenezer School and Home for the Visually Impaired were examined between December 1998 and August 1999. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Demographic data were obtained from students and a questionnaire assessment made of their medical and ocular history. Visual acuity was assessed and visual loss classified according to the World Health Organization classification of visual impairment. Complete ophthalmic assessments were performed in all students including slit-lamp examination and dilated binocular indirect ophthalmoscopy. RESULTS: The mean age of the students was 12.2 years. Ten (12.2%) had a family history of eye disease. Major past medical illnesses were reported in 50% with prematurity and diseases of the central nervous system found in 26.8% and 11.0% of students, respectively. The most common anatomical site for visual impairment was the retina (47.6%), followed by diseases of the optic nerve (14.6%), and diseases of the anterior segment and the lens (14.6%). CONCLUSIONS: The pattern of childhood blindness in Hong Kong is similar to that seen in other developed countries. Preventable causes of childhood blindness, such as prematurity and birth asphyxia, were responsible for a large proportion of cases. Early diagnosis and treatment of such conditions may reduce the incidence of childhood blindness in Hong Kong.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

[Cochlear implantation in visually impaired patients--long-term rehabilitation results].

UNLABELLED: The aim of the study was to assess the rehabilitation results in visually impaired patients with cochlear implants. Material consisted of 9 patients (2 with prelingual deafness, 3 with perilingual deafness, 4 with postlingual deafness) from 244 implanted persons in Poznań. METHODS: In all the patients the rehabilitation results were evaluated using Test of Auditory Perception of Speech (TAPS) and screening test. RESULTS: In the group of patients with pre- and perilingual deafness a little bit slower progress of rehabilitation was found, according to 117 persons with prelingual deafness and 34 persons with perilingual deafness without vision disorders. Within the group of patients with postlingual deafness important progress of rehabilitation was observed. Two brothers with Usher syndrome 1-2 months after speech processor switch-on reached the highest level of test, they could communicate with family. One person after 5 months of rehabilitation could talk by phone without any problems. In all implanted visually impaired patients improvement of auditory perception of speech was observed.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Cane for the blind with a device for detecting and recognizing pedestrian obstacles].

The paper deals with the development of methods and a device for the blind to walk by orientating himself through remotely contacting study of what has happened and is happening on the road. An optoelectron method for detection of vertical obstacles and ground gaps has been proposed. The authors have drawn up the structural and functional diagrams of a device which is combined with a walking-stick and which makes it possible to detect 3 types of pedestrian obstacles with appropriate sound signalling.

Canes↗
PubMed1998

Reduced cancer incidence among the blind.

Melatonin is a hormone primarily produced by the pineal gland at night and is suppressed by exposure to light. Experimental studies have indicated that melatonin may protect against cancer development. In the majority of totally blind people, melatonin is never suppressed by light exposure. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that blind people have a decreased cancer incidence, and that this effect is more pronounced in the totally blind than in the severely visually impaired. We identified a cohort of 1,567 totally blind and 13,292 severely visually impaired subjects and obtained information about cancer incidence from the Swedish Cancer Registry. We calculated standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) based on the number of person-years and incidence rates specific for national age, sex, and calendar year. Totally blind people had a lower incidence of all cancers combined [SIR = 0.69; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.59-0.82]. The risk reduction was observed in both men and women and was equally pronounced in hormone-dependent tumors as in other types of cancer. In the severely visually impaired, SIR was 0.95 (95% CI = 0.91-1.00). The findings support the hypothesis that blind people have a lower cancer incidence, although other explanations than the higher melatonin exposure must also be considered.

Aged↗