Abstract
Abstract Purpose: To identify the prevalence of the most common diseases diagnosed in the Low Vision Service (LVS) Methods: Seven hundred and thirteen patient’s clinical records were evaluated. The best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) in the better eye was collected. All of the diagnosed diseases related to visual impairment were identified and classified. A total of 220 patients (36.6%) fulfilled the concept of low vision (group 1), and 381 patients (63.39%) presented legal blindness (groups 2, 3, 4 and 5), according to the WHO Study Group on the Prevention of Blindness (Geneva, l972). Results: The most prevalent disorder was the group of Retinal Inherited Distrophies (n=124; 20.63%). Following the first group were Ocular toxoplasmosis with chorioretinal scars (118 cases, representing a prevalence of 19.63%), Myopic Maculopathy (38-6.32%), Age related Macular Degeneration (AMD) (36 cases, representing a prevalence of 6%). Conclusion: Planning and implementing preventive actions in ophthalmology requires appropriate comprehension about regional clinical problems. Social support, and a proper partnership between educational and health systems, are important to improve visual outcomes in patients diagnosed with low vision and legal blindness.
Highlights
In Brazil, the scarcity of previous studies, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that blindness prevalence affecting individuals over 50 years old is 1.3%, similar to Barbados and Paraguay.[4]. In a study performed with patients attended in a tertiary service, retinal disorders accounted as the most common cause of low vision (LV), with uveitis coming as the second most common cause, and toxoplasmosis being the most frequent in uveitic group.[5]. The frequency of toxoplasmosis and its ocular features is highly relevant in our population, possibly related to our public health conditions.[5, 6, 16, 17] All these data brings new elements and perspectives, different than was found in developed countries
A cross sectional study was conducted after analysis of 713 clinical charts, referred to the low vision service (LVS) at the Centro de Referência em Oftalmologia – Federal University of Goias Patients were referred from other outpatient subspecialties after complete ophthalmologic examination, including correction of refractive errors Patients were classified in legal blindness and visual impairment, according to the WHO score of distance visual acuity
The most prevalent diseases related to LV and visual impairment were Retinal inherited distrophies (n=124; 20.63%), followed by chorioretinal scars presumably caused by toxoplasmosis (19.63%; n = 118), myopic maculopathy (6.32%; n = 38) and Age related Macular Degeneration (AMD) (6%; n = 36)
Summary
The current concept of “low vision” (LV), according to the 10th Revision of the International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD 10) by World Health Organization (WHO), includes patients with visual impairment, with a habitual correction, and a visual acuity (VA) worst than 20/70, but equal or better than 20/400, or less than 20° in radius around central fixation in the better eye with the best corrected visual acuity.[1, 2] The WHO refers 45 million patients diagnosed with legal blindness worldwide, and an additional of 135 million individuals visually impaired.[1,2,3,4] Taking into account the population growth and increased life expectancy, 76 million people might become blind by 2020, in case of no changes in our current health system.[5]. In Brazil, the scarcity of previous studies, the WHO estimates that blindness prevalence affecting individuals over 50 years old is 1.3%, similar to Barbados and Paraguay.[4] In a study performed with patients attended in a tertiary service, retinal disorders accounted as the most common cause of LV, with uveitis coming as the second most common cause, and toxoplasmosis being the most frequent in uveitic group.[5] The frequency of toxoplasmosis and its ocular features is highly relevant in our population, possibly related to our public health conditions.[5, 6, 16, 17] All these data brings new elements and perspectives, different than was found in developed countries.
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