Community Ophthalmology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
Indian J Ophthalmol. 2023 Jan;71(1):257-262. doi: 10.4103/ijo.IJO_1281_22.
Assistive technology (AT) has recently received considerable attention around the world. Studies have shown poor access to assistive technology for visual impairment (ATVI) in schools for the blind in India. The present article aimed at designing a school-based model to improve AT access in schools and provide hands-on training, and identify types of ocular morbidities present among students.
The vision rehabilitation (VR) team of a tertiary eye-care center visited schools for the blind as a part of community-based VR services. The team conducted a basic eye examination and assessed best-corrected vision acuity (BCVA) and provided VR services. Furthermore, two schools were selected to establish an ATVI learning center as a pilot model.
In total, 1887 students were registered for VR and obtained their disability certificates in 2019-20. Retina problems (25.7%), globe abnormalities (25.5%), optic nerve atrophy (13.6%), and squint (12.0%) were common ocular problems identified in students. Around 50.3% of students had BCVA 1/60 in the better eye who would be benefited from visual-based AT, and the remaining students with visual substitution AT. Further, 20.8% of them who had near vision between N18 to N24 would be benefitted from large print books. Two schools were provided ATVI with support from the WHO. Familiarization, demonstration, and initial training for ATVI were carried out.
A sizable number of the students would be benefitted from visual-based AT apart from visual substitutions AT. Students were interested to have such ATVI centers in the school for academic and non-academic skills development.
辅助技术（AT）最近在全球范围内受到了广泛关注。研究表明，印度盲人学校的视觉障碍辅助技术（ATVI）获得率较低。本文旨在设计一种基于学校的模式，以改善学校的 AT 获得率，并提供实践培训，并确定学生中存在的眼部疾病类型。
一家三级眼科保健中心的视障康复（VR）团队作为社区 VR 服务的一部分，到盲人学校进行访问。该团队进行了基本的眼部检查，评估了最佳矫正视力（BCVA）并提供了 VR 服务。此外，选择了两所学校作为试点模型，建立了 ATVI 学习中心。
在 2019-20 年期间，共有 1887 名学生注册了 VR 并获得了他们的残疾证书。在学生中，常见的眼部问题包括视网膜问题（25.7%）、眼球异常（25.5%）、视神经萎缩（13.6%）和斜视（12.0%）。大约 50.3%的学生在较好的眼睛中拥有 1/60 的 BCVA，他们将受益于基于视觉的 AT，而其余的学生则受益于视觉替代 AT。此外，其中 20.8%的学生拥有 N18 至 N24 的近视力，将受益于大字体书籍。世界卫生组织为两所学校提供了 ATVI。对 ATVI 进行了熟悉、演示和初步培训。
除了视觉替代 AT 之外，相当数量的学生将受益于基于视觉的 AT。学生们有兴趣在学校设立这样的 ATVI 中心，以发展学术和非学术技能。
