Abstract
Vision is the ability of seeing with a definite understanding of features, color and contrast, and to distinguish between objects visually. In the year 1999, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness formulated a worldwide project for the eradication of preventable loss of sight with the subject of “Vision 2020: the Right to Sight”. This global program aims to eradicate preventable loss of sight by the year 2020. This study was conducted to determine the main causes of low vision in Saudi Arabia and also to assess their visual improvement after using low vision aids (LVD). The study is a retrospective study and was conducted in low vision clinic at Eye World Medical Complex in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The file medical record of 280 patients attending low vision clinics from February 2008 to June 2010 was included. A data sheet was filled which include: age, gender, cause of low vision, unassisted visual acuity for long distances and short distances, low vision devices needed for long distances and short distances that provides best visual acuity. The result shows that the main cause of low vision was Optic atrophy (28.9%). Retinitis pigmentosa was the second cause of low vision, accounting for 73 patients (26%) followed by Diabetic retinopathy and Macular degeneration with 44 patients (15.7%) and 16 patients (5.7%) respectively. Inter family marriage could be one of the main causes of low vision. Public awareness should be embarked on for enlightenment on ocular diseases result in consanguineous marriage. Also, it is an important issue to start establishing low vision clinics in order to improve the situation.
Highlights
1.1 Background of the StudyVision is the capability of seeing with an unambiguous sensitivity of features, color and contrast, and to differentiate between objects visually
The project raises public awareness about the medical conditions associated with blindness & vision impairment as one of the most important worldwide community health issues, so that it would pressurize the Governments around the world and the Ministers of Health of these governments to contribute to the cause and assign funds for nationwide sightlessness deterrence programs it would educate target audiences about loss of sight avoidance and about VISION 2020 and to create support for VISION 2020 program activities
Thirteen diseases were noted in order to determine the causes of low vision in patients who participated in this study (Table 1 and Table 2 Causes of low vision)
Summary
1.1 Background of the StudyVision is the capability of seeing with an unambiguous sensitivity of features, color and contrast, and to differentiate between objects visually. In the year 1999, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness formulated a worldwide project for the eradication of preventable loss of sight with the subject of “Vision 2020: the Right to Sight”. This global program aims to eradicate preventable loss of sight by the year 2020, so that the prevalence of the vision related medical condition could be controlled in the future so that all the people in the world can enjoy their right to see the beautiful colors of the world. The project raises public awareness about the medical conditions associated with blindness & vision impairment as one of the most important worldwide community health issues, so that it would pressurize the Governments around the world and the Ministers of Health of these governments to contribute to the cause and assign funds for nationwide sightlessness deterrence programs it would educate target audiences about loss of sight avoidance and about VISION 2020 and to create support for VISION 2020 program activities
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