Blindness In Population Research Articles

S09-2: Physical activity in the Irish vision impaired and blind population

S09-2: Physical activity in the Irish vision impaired and blind population

What do the blind feel? Psychological distress and satisfaction with life of blind persons: A community-based study

Background: Progressive loss of visual acuteness is known to be associated with anxiety, insecurity, loss of independence, and altered social functioning, which may lead to low mood and subsequently depression. Emotionally adjusting to vision loss can dramatically change one’s independence. Reduced workplace productivity in adults with visual impairment is associated with lower rates of workforce participation and increased rates of anxiety and depression. Most studies for psychological comorbidities in the legally blind population are conducted in individuals who present to the psychiatry or psychology department/clinics or to facilities for blindness certification. Due to the paucity of community-based data in the Indian scenario, the current study was undertaken. Aim: To evaluate the psychological distress and satisfaction with life of people who were diagnosed as blind in the community. Materials and Methods: The sample was based on the identification of blind persons in a door-to-door screening for eye and vision problems in 44535 individuals conducted in 2015–16 in the middle to lower socioeconomic populations in the suburban area of Yerawada, Maharashtra. Those who were suspected of having low vision underwent a detailed clinical examination including visual acuity estimation, portable slit lamp examination, I-Kare tonometry, and fundoscopy, conducted by an ophthalmologist to assess and verify the lack of vision. Subsequently, the General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12) and Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) were also applied upon revisiting the participants in 2020–2021. Results: The majority of participants were middle-aged or elderly and no significant gender variation was noted in terms of blindness. Maximum psychological disability was seen after 6 to 15 years after the onset of blindness. More than 80% of the patients with complete blindness had some psychiatric comorbidity or distress and more than half reported that their daily activities were affected due to their diagnosis. Blind persons had significantly higher scores on the GHQ-12 and significantly lower scores on SWLS. Complete blindness was positively correlated with GHQ-12 scores and negatively correlated with SWLS scores and the age of the subject. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that psychological distress and low levels of satisfaction with life are common among the severely visually impaired and blind. There is a dire need to improve access to rehabilitation services and psychological support for the blind and their caregivers.

V App: E College System for Blind Students

n India, the visually impaired community constitutes a substantial portion, accounting for nearly 60% of the global blind population. As society evolves, addressing the needs of marginalized groups, particularly those with disabilities, becomes increasingly imperative. A critical requirement is ensuring improved mobility for the blind, an ongoing challenge despite numerous initiatives. With the rapid advancements in wireless communication, the demand for effective voice recognition technologies has surged. Voice-based applications, employing interfaces and dialogue management, offer a promising solution, enabling users to focus on tasks without manual engagement and enhancing independence in navigation and educational access. Keywords: Accessibility, E-college system technology, Visually impaired, Voice recognition.

Smart Glass for Visually Impaired People

Abstract: This review paper aims to underscore the significance of inclusive technology in enhancing the lives of individuals with visual impairments and examine how smart wearable glasses are considered a potential solution for addressing challenges related to object detection. The blind community faces several obstacles in a world where visual information is dominant. The study examines the body of research on smart glasses and emphasizes how object recognition helps to improve spatial awareness. It highlights the revolutionary effect of these gadgets in promoting independence and enhancing accessibility for blind people by summarizing recent research. This succinct assessment seeks to add to the existing methods of inclusive technology by highlighting the exciting possibilities of smart glasses in empowering the blind population.

An Indian epidemiological overview of ocular emergencies of the year 2022

Aim and objectiveThis study aimed to provide an epidemiological overview of the ocular emergencies that occurred in India in the year 2022. The study analyzed the demographic, clinical, and etiological characteristics of the patients who presented with ocular emergencies to various eye care facilities across the country. The study also evaluated the outcomes and complications of ocular emergencies and identified the risk factors and preventive measures for reducing their incidence and severity. MethodA retrospective study, we extracted data from the NPCBVI online portal Niramaya and calculated the frequency, percentage, and incidence rates of ocular emergencies by various demographic and geographic variables. ResultsMore males (55.9%) than females (44.1%) are blind in India. The age group with the highest frequency of blindness is 15–49 years (40%), followed by 50–69 years (30%), ≥70 years (20%) and <15 years (10%). Most of the blind people live in rural areas (70%), while only 30% live in urban areas. The states/UTs with the highest frequency of blindness are Uttar Pradesh (12.3%), Maharashtra (10.5%), Bihar (8.7%), West Bengal (7.4%) and Madhya Pradesh (6.8%). The remaining states/UTs account for 54.3% of the blind population. The most common causes of blindness are trauma (32.8%), infection/inflammation (34.5%) and glaucoma (24.7%). Other causes make up 8% of the total. ConclusionWe concluded that ocular emergencies are a significant public health problem in India and more research is needed to understand their epidemiology and management.

Lakshya: Intelligent Device to Help Visually Impaired (Blind) People Visualize and Interact with Objects and People Around Them using AI/ML Models of Google Tensor-flow

The daily lifestyle of visually impaired people is highly challenging wherein there daily routine activities at home or public places has made them the major of being handicapped. Among the 43 million people who are visually impaired worldwide, very fewer percentage of this population uses different technological advanced products inview to overcome their challenges. But the demerits of using such technological products is that their cost is very high and not all blind people can afford it especially in the developing and/or emerging countries. This research study aims to design and built a reasonably priced device which not only be beneficial but on the same hand also affordable. Hence looking into the main objective of this research study “raspberry Pi2” a miniature chip-based process controlling unit combined with other utility items was designed and constructed inview to overcome the daily lifestyle challenges of blind population. Different logical reasoning programs were uploaded into micro-processor controller and finally tested for its functionality. The outcome was so efficient that activities like identification of sharp objects, and/or people demonstrated significant improvement.

1043 A Rare Case of Non-24-hour Sleep-Wake Rhythm Disorder in A Sighted Patient

Abstract Introduction Non-24-hour sleep-wake disorder is a circadian rhythm sleep disorder which causes failure of endogenous circadian rhythm cycles to synchronize to a 24-hour day. Despite an unknown prevalence in sighted people, it's thought to be rare. We present a case of a sighted patient with concurrent bipolar disorder who presented with excessive sleepiness since preadolescence, and was later found to have N24SWD. Report of case(s) A 29 year old woman with bipolar disorder presented with excessive daytime sleepiness and irregular sleep schedule since age 12. During her teenage years she often fell asleep at school, and she felt the sleepiness could be associated with psychotropic medication. As she grew up, despite her bipolar disorder was well-controlled, the daytime sleepiness persisted, which caused great challenge concentrating at work and difficulty holding a job. She denies cataplexy, hypnagogic hallucinations, sleep paralysis, or restless legs syndrome symptoms. She had no history of shift work or abnormal movements during sleep. Her bedtime advanced and cycled through a 24-hour period according to sleep diary. Her rise time maintains a consistent interval with her bedtime. Previously she had multiple sleep latency test and polysomnogram, after which she was diagnosed with idiopathic hypersomnia. She was treated with several stimulants without much improvement. She was offered CBT-I but hasn’t gone. She failed trial of a standardized schedule and found it stressful. She tried melatonin and light therapy for a short time without much of success, she was subsequently started on tasimelteon and the clinical response is to be followed. Conclusion N24SWD is reportedly rare in the sighted population, with a possible different mechanism from that of the blind population. Behavioral and environmental factors might contribute to the dysynchrony between a normal central circadian pacemaker and a non-24-hour sleep-wake behavioral pattern. Our patient's sleepiness persisted despite her psychiatric disorders were in remission. Altered circadian rhythms are not uncommon in patients with psychiatric disorders, and circadian rhythm dysfunction may be a trait marker of bipolar disease. Some antidepressant are also found to cause potential iatrogenic circadian rhythm sleep disorders. Psychosocial interventions that target stabilizing daily rhythms in patients with concurrent psychiatric illness can be helpful. Support (if any)

Personal Health Data Tracking by Blind and Low-Vision People: Survey Study.

Personal health technologies, including wearable tracking devices and mobile apps, have great potential to equip the general population with the ability to monitor and manage their health. However, being designed for sighted people, much of their functionality is largely inaccessible to the blind and low-vision (BLV) population, threatening the equitable access to personal health data (PHD) and health care services. This study aims to understand why and how BLV people collect and use their PHD and the obstacles they face in doing so. Such knowledge can inform accessibility researchers and technology companies of the unique self-tracking needs and accessibility challenges that BLV people experience. We conducted a web-based and phone survey with 156 BLV people. We reported on quantitative and qualitative findings regarding their PHD tracking practices, needs, accessibility barriers, and work-arounds. BLV respondents had strong desires and needs to track PHD, and many of them were already tracking their data despite many hurdles. Popular tracking items (ie, exercise, weight, sleep, and food) and the reasons for tracking were similar to those of sighted people. BLV people, however, face many accessibility challenges throughout all phases of self-tracking, from identifying tracking tools to reviewing data. The main barriers our respondents experienced included suboptimal tracking experiences and insufficient benefits against the extended burden for BLV people. We reported the findings that contribute to an in-depth understanding of BLV people's motivations for PHD tracking, tracking practices, challenges, and work-arounds. Our findings suggest that various accessibility challenges hinder BLV individuals from effectively gaining the benefits of self-tracking technologies. On the basis of the findings, we discussed design opportunities and research areas to focus on making PHD tracking technologies accessible for all, including BLV people.

The impact of COVID-19 on the everyday life of blind and sighted individuals

The COVID-19 pandemic caused unexpected and unavoidable changes in daily life worldwide. Governments and communities found ways to mitigate the impact of these changes, but many solutions were inaccessible to people with visual impairments. This work aimed to investigate how blind individuals subjectively experienced the restrictions and isolation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. To this end, a group of twenty-seven blind and seventeen sighted people took part in a survey addressing how COVID-19 impacted life practically and psychologically, how it affected their daily habits, and how it changed their experiences of themselves and others. Results demonstrated that both sighted and blind individuals had a hard time adapting to the new situation. However, while sighted people struggled more with personal and social aspects, the frustration of the blind population derived mostly from more practical and logistical issues. Likely as consequences, results showed that blind people engaged more in their inner life and experienced fear and anger as main emotions. This study suggests that changes in life associated with COVID-19 have been subjectively experienced differently based on the presence or not of blindness, and that tailored future interventions should be considered to take care of the different needs of blind individuals.

Sequence of visual cortex stimulation affects phosphene brightness in blind subjects

BackgroundVisual cortical prostheses (VCP) could potentially benefit a majority of the blind population. Feasibility testing of these VCP opens new avenues to characterize stimulation of visual cortex in blind subjects. Objective/hypothesisTo determine if sequential stimulation of visual cortex produces a perception bias in phosphene brightness. MethodsWe stimulated three blind subjects implanted with the Orion array with sequences of two and three electrodes and asked them to determine the brighter phosphene, using interval forced-choice paradigms. We selected a set of reference electrodes as the constant stimuli across sequences and compared across three different amplitude levels keeping all other stimulation parameters fixed across electrodes. ResultsFor two subjects, we measured a significant increase in the probability of perceiving a lower-level amplitude just as bright or brighter than a higher-level amplitude when stimulated later in the sequence (p < 0.001, Wilcoxon rank sum test). The probability of reference electrodes selected as brighter was also higher during the second phase, across most amplitude comparisons. For the third subject, there were measurable but not significant changes, where the first stimuli were perceived as brighter. The effects were consistent within subjects in the three-electrode sequences, where the probability of the reference electrode selected as brighter was correlated to when it was presented in the sequence. ConclusionsWe showed evidence of temporal interactions in non-overlapping sequences of electrodes, where the direction of the effect was subject specific but consistent across a variety of electrode locations and current amplitude levels.

Sensory compensation beliefs among blind and sighted individuals.

The process of neural and behavioral reorganization following sensory loss is known as sensory compensation. Typically, it is believed that sensory loss is followed by increased acuity of the intact modalities. Indeed, many studies compared blind and sighted individuals' sensitivity of the intact sensory modalities. Yet, it remains poorly understood whether sensory compensation is reflected in the lay beliefs of those, whom it concerns. We examined whether blind and sighted individuals believe that their lack of vision is compensated by increased sensitivity of the intact senses. Study 1 (n = 63) aimed to compare the ratings of sensory sensitivity made by blind and sighted people. Participants rated the sensory sensitivity of a blind population in four modalities (i.e., olfaction, audition, gustation, touch) and compared it to the sensory sensitivity of a sighted population. In Study 2 (n = 191) participants rated their own sensory sensitivity in four modalities. Each participant referred to (1) people of the same sensory status and (2) people of the opposite sensory status. The level of global self-esteem was controlled to verify self-enhancing nature of these beliefs. The results of both studies showed that the beliefs about sensory compensation are shared by blind and sighted participants on group and on individual levels. The self-enhancement underpinning of these beliefs was most pronounced in gustatory sensitivity assessment. Psychological and medical consequences of sensory compensation beliefs are discussed.

Language Processing Differences Between Blind and Sighted Individuals and the Abstract Versus Concrete Concept Difference.

In the property listing task (PLT), participants are asked to list properties for a concept (e.g., for the concept dog, "barks," and "is a pet" may be produced). In conceptual property norming (CPNs) studies, participants are asked to list properties for large sets of concepts. Here, we use a mathematical model of the property listing process to explore two longstanding issues: characterizing the difference between concrete and abstract concepts, and characterizing semantic knowledge in the blind versus sighted population. When we apply our mathematical model to a large CPN reporting properties listed by sighted and blind participants, the model uncovers significant differences between concrete and abstract concepts. Though we also find that blind individuals show many of the same processing differences between abstract and concrete concepts found in sighted individuals, our model shows that those differences are noticeably less pronounced than in sighted individuals. We discuss our results vis-a-vis theories attempting to characterize abstract concepts.

Dual coding of knowledge in the human brain.

How does the human brain code knowledge about the world? While disciplines such as artificial intelligence represent world knowledge based on human language, neurocognitive models of knowledge have been dominated by sensory embodiment, in which knowledge is derived from sensory/motor experience and supported by high-level sensory/motor and association cortices. The neural correlates of an alternative disembodied symbolic system had previously been difficult to establish. A recent line of studies exploring knowledge about visual properties, such as color, in visually deprived individuals converge to provide positive, compelling evidence for non-sensory, language-derived, knowledge representation in dorsal anterior temporal lobe and extended language network, in addition to the sensory-derived representations, leading to a sketch of a dual-coding knowledge neural framework.

Depression among attendants of the Sudanese National Association of the Blinds in Khartoum, Sudan

BackgroundBlindness has profound consequences for the victim, family, and society. The impact of vision loss on daily life activities could lead to psychological stress. Early treatment of depression may reduce the added disability that is associated with vision loss. This study aimed to assess the extent and associated factors with depression among the Sudanese blind people in Khartoum, Sudan. A cross-section facility-based study was conducted, in which depression among the participants was assessed using the Beck Depression Inventory Scale. A chi-square test was implemented to determine the relationship between categorical variables and the significance level for all analyses was set at p < 0.05.ResultsA total of 185 participants were included in the study. Out of them, 84.3% were male and near half of the participants (42.2%) were born blind. The prevalence of depression among the participants was 11.4%. There were significantly higher rates of depression in those who were illiterate (χ2 = 6.233, p = 0.044) and in those whose loss of vision was due to accidents or traumatic causes and loss of vision due to accidents or traumatic causes (χ2 = 12.840, p = 0.002). There was significantly lower rate of depression in those who were born with blindness compared to others (χ2 = 10.504, p = 0.005).ConclusionsPeople who were born blind have a lower rate of depression and people who lost their sight due to trauma have a higher rate of depression, and therefore, requiring more psychiatric support. Despite the relatively low percentage of depression, establishing programs for early identification and combating depression among the blind population in our setting is highly recommended.

A Study on Intelligent Guide Stick Using YOLOv3 Algorithm – Improving Spatial Awareness with Self-made Data Set

The increasing negligence of “blind lanes” on streets in metropolises such as Shanghai is an inconvenience to the blind population, therefore, alternatives should be explored. When walking on these lanes, there should not be any obstacles for the users, yet bikes can be seen parked there in addition to littered objects. This makes it potentially more dangerous to walk on them in comparison to walking on non-tactile paved lanes. An alternative to these lanes has been discovered which is a camera that is attached to a blind staff. This camera provides auditory feedbacks in regard to the user’s surroundings. Using YOLOv3 (You Only Look Once, Version 3), the software is trained using 140 images to identify three different classes which are blind lanes, waist-high obstacles, and dog feces, as well as the right direction of these objects. If the camera captures any of these three categories, it will provide and voice feedback, hence, warning the user. With this system, the blind can essentially have functional vision that would better guarantee their safety when walking on streets.

Bridge or barrier: technology, well-being, and blindness

Purpose of the article This study explored the impact of assistive technology on the well-being of legally blind adults. Materials and methods In this mixed-method study, a convenience sample of 86 legally blind adults took an electronic survey. The questionnaire was comprised of demographics, use patterns, and an instrument called TENS-Interface that measured the impact of technology on well-being categories of autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Descriptive statistics, reliability, power analysis and bivariate correlations were calculated using SPSS statistical software. Three participants completed follow up semi-structured interviews, which were analysed for themes of technological mediation using NVivo 12 software. Results The TENS-Interface was validated for use with a legally blind population. Descriptive statistics showed a higher mean for autonomy than competence or relatedness. Braille was positively correlated to both autonomy and competence, while screen reader proficiency was related to competence. Daily use of social media, email, instant messaging, and video calls were correlated to relatedness. The technological devices used by interview participants were analysed for technological mediation. Training was identified as an additional theme. Conclusions Recommendations for practice include providing training to legally blind adults in screen reader use and braille use to support well-being via competence and autonomy. Training is also recommended for this population in the use of social media, email, and video calls to promote well-being through opportunities for relatedness. Further research is recommended to explore instructional methods that are not only efficient, but also meaningful for older adults in the position of losing their vision. IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION Providing access to braille instruction and braille assistive technology equipment can promote legally blind adults’ well-being by supporting their basic needs for both competence and autonomy. Providing training in screen reader use can promote legally blind adults’ well-being by supporting their basic need for competence. Providing training in use of email, social media, video calls, and instant messaging can promote legally blind adults’ well-being by supporting their basic need for relatedness. A consideration of technological mediation can allow practitioners to make recommendations that take into account not only efficient task completion, but issues related to meaning and social context. Instruction for adults losing their vision adventitiously needs to address not only efficient task performance, but also meaning and social context.

Latest developments in glaucoma

Glaucoma is a leading cause of irreversible blindness in the world affecting 12.5% of blind population. In addition to that, it is the cause of morbidity for 64.3 million of people among 40-80 years of age. World statistical predictions estimate it to be 118 million in 2040. Unpublished data in Sri Lanka reveals 6-9% of prevalence among people over 40 years with more predilections to Northern Province.Glaucoma is a disease of optic nerve head with progressive ganglion cell loss resulting in loss of neuro-retinal rim and retinal nerve fiber layer. It is characterized by structural changes in optic nerve head and retinal nerve fiber layer and functional loss depicted as visual field loss.Asymptomatic nature of the disease causes a delay in diagnosis. On the other hand, the early diagnosis and treatment will minimize the physical, psychological and social impact of the illness. The diagnosis of glaucoma is a complicated and expensive effort that is heavily dependent on the experience and expertise of a clinician. Therefore, the awareness on latest discoveries on pathophysiology, diagnostic evaluations and therapeutic interventions in the field of glaucoma will help to face the challenges in patient care.

Eye(I) Still Know! – An App for the Blind Built using Web and AI

This paper proposes eye(I) still know!, a voice control solution for the visually impaired people. The main purpose is even though the blind cannot see they can still know where to go and what to do! Nearby 60% of total blind population across the world is present in India. In a time where no one likes to rely on anyone, this is a small effort to make the blind independent individuals. This can be achieved using wireless communication, voice recognition and image scanning. The application with the use of object identification will priorly inform about the barriers in the path. The software will use the camera of the device and scan all the obstacles with their corresponding distances from the user. This will be followed by audio instructions through audio output of the device. This will efficiently direct the user through his/her way.

Eye(I) Still Know! – An App for the Blind Built using Web and AI

This paper proposes eye(I) still know!, a voice control solution for the visually impaired people. The main purpose is even though the blind cannot see they can still know where to go and what to do! Nearby 60% of total blind population across the world is present in India. In a time where no one likes to rely on anyone, this is a small effort to make the blind independent individuals. This can be achieved using wireless communication, voice recognition and image scanning. The application with the use of object identification will priorly inform about the barriers in the path.&#x0D; The software will use the camera of the device and scan all the obstacles with their corresponding distances from the user. This will be followed by audio instructions through audio output of the device.&#x0D; This will efficiently direct the user through his/her way.

A Smart Hoodie- Assistive Technology for Blind People Using IoT

Assistive technology for the blind is a field of research that is gaining more and more importance due to the eruption of new interest from different fields. These research findings have had a huge social impact among elderly and blind population. In this paper, we introduced a novel Smart Hoodie which can sense the objects around them and can prevent the blind people from getting hurt accidentally or banging on heavy objects. The technology used here is IoT, where a Raspberry Pi kit is used along with ultrasonic sensors which can sense objects. A micro camera can be fixed on top of the Hoodie, which is triggered once the sensor detects the object and then object recognition is performed; a voice notification is generated either with the speaker or earphones. We can also track the location of a blind person in case they are lost, using a GPS module. A GSM module is used by a blind person to send messages in case of any emergency. Although, there were a lot of discoveries related to the above-mentioned issue, it has inflamed that our invention is much better than other state of the art approaches.