G H Hammersley, P R G Ramos, R G Gonzalez
Optica Hammersley, Low Vision, Concepcion, Chile
Until 1993 there wasn't any Low Vision Center in Chile, where patient with low vision could be evaluated and rehabilitated. In 1994 COALIVI (Aid to the Visual Limited Corporation) received an offer for ONCE (National Organization of Spanish Blind), in Order to train at Madrid a group of professionals from COALIVI, as expert in Low Vision. The group was composed by an Ophthalmologist, an Optician and Teacher specialized in visual disorders. Upon returning it Chile this team had to form the Visual Rehabilitation Unit inside COALIVI, in the city of Concepcion Chile.
This area was unknown in Chile, there were not optical aids and there was not state help for these disabled persons.
The strategies used to succeed in Low Vision Treatment in Chile were as follows:
- To have are our disposal many patients from the School for the Blind.
- Adapting low coast aids.
- Divulging the good results among the ophthalmologist and related professionals.
- Conducting Community Operational Tasks in Schools for the Blind in several cities in Chile.
- Organizing Seminars and Training Courses fore more multidiscipline teams.
- Help from the Chilean Government was secured, in the form of the optical aids.
Finally, the statistics of the 1000 patients assisted in the period 1994-2001, show that the prevailing pathology is the High Myopia; the rate between male and females much the same; the highest number of patients with Low Vision is over 40 years old; and that 82% of the assisted patient rehabilitation.
Return to the ISLRR.ORG Home Page
