R Espinoza¹, F Contreras², M Montes¹, E Inga3
¹Rehabilitation & Stimulation Visual Center, Low Vision Center, Lima, Peru; ²Sociedad Peruana de Oftalmología, Chairman, Lima, Peru; 3Rehabilitation & Stimulation Visual Center, Low Vision Service, Lima, Peru
Not long ago in Perú, it was unknown the importance of Low Vision Care. Thanks to workshops of ophthalmologists, it has been possible to place the low vision care into the Peruvian ophthalmologic workplace, making Low Vision an indispensable topic for national and regional conferences.
The purpose of this study was to obtain specific data from patients with low vision observed in the Rehabilitation and Stimulation Visual Center from April 1st, 1998 to July 31st, 2001.
The information was gathered from the clinical records of 480 patients (293 females and 187 males) whom were referred by other ophthalmologists -the program EPI-INFO was used for data processing- a high percentage 42%, were in the age group 75-90 years, followed by 29% in the age group 60-74 years.
The main causes of Visual impairment were diseases of retina (61%) -80% age related macular degeneration-, degenerative myopia (15%), glaucoma (8%).
Related to prescribed devices, 480 patients were benefited with non-optical aids and 415 with optical aids. Most used were microscopes (65%), followed by hand magnifiers (15%), which are more socially accepted and less expensive. In 92% of all patients, close visual acuity post rehabilitation was 0.8M.
New strategies are being included to increase coverage, like working with non-ophthalmologists M.Ds. and the general community.
This study was realized to get the government involved in solving the problem of Low Vision in Perú.
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