Williams G P, Pathak-Ray V, Austin M W, Lloyd A P, Millington I M, Bennett A
Department of Ophthalmology, Royal Berkshire Hospital, Reading, UK.
Eye (Lond). 2007 Apr;21(4):522-7. doi: 10.1038/sj.eye.6702256. Epub 2006 Feb 3.
To survey low vision in an urban population and assess impact on quality of life, rehabilitation and support.
In a cross-sectional population survey, 66 patients were identified from databases of three general practices and surveyed by investigator administered questionnaire. Main outcome measures were ocular diagnoses, (US) National Eye Institute Visual Function-Questionnaire (NEI-VFQ) scores assessing visual and nonvisual disability, eligibility for, awareness and receipt of rehabilitation and support.
Of 24,420 individuals on the lists of the three study practices, we found 101 registered as blind or partially sighted (prevalence 0.41%). A total of 66 patients participated with ocular diseases of age-related macular degeneration 39 (59%), glaucoma 11 (17%), diabetic retinopathy two (3%), retinitis pigmentosa two (3%), and 12 (18%) 'others'. Better eye visual acuity was counting fingers or worse in 32 (48.5%). NEI-VFQ scores were poor-overall mean 41.5% (SD 23.5). In all, 80% had a social services home visit with one-third of these still in contact. In all, 66% had undergone a low vision aid assessment and 57.6% of these used their aid. The awareness and receipt of benefits arising from registration as visually impaired were lower than for other supportive measures available for reasons unrelated to vision. None had a guide dog.
We found expected patterns of low vision but poorer levels of function and support that may reflect age and deprivation in a population failed by the current systems for identification, registration, and rehabilitation based on legislation overtaken by demographic change and social provision independent of visual status.
调查城市人口中的低视力情况，并评估其对生活质量、康复及支持的影响。
在一项横断面人口调查中，从三个全科医疗数据库中识别出66例患者，并通过研究者发放的问卷进行调查。主要结局指标为眼部诊断、评估视觉和非视觉残疾的（美国）国立眼科研究所视觉功能问卷（NEI-VFQ）得分、康复及支持的资格、知晓情况和接受情况。
在三项研究性医疗服务机构名单上的24420人中，我们发现101人登记为盲人或视力受损（患病率0.41%）。共有66例患者参与，其中年龄相关性黄斑变性39例（59%）、青光眼11例（17%）、糖尿病视网膜病变2例（3%）、视网膜色素变性2例（3%），以及12例（18%）“其他”疾病。较好眼的视力为指数或更差的有32例（48.5%）。NEI-VFQ得分较低——总体平均为41.5%（标准差23.5）。总体而言，80%接受了社会服务家访，其中三分之一仍保持联系。总体而言，66%接受了低视力辅助器具评估，其中57.6%使用了辅助器具。因视力受损登记而获得福利的知晓率和接受率低于其他与视力无关的支持措施。无人拥有导盲犬。
我们发现了低视力的预期模式，但功能和支持水平较差，这可能反映了当前基于已被人口结构变化和独立于视觉状况的社会福利所取代的立法的识别、登记和康复系统未能覆盖的人群中的年龄和贫困情况。
