A study of children with childhood blindness and low vision: pathogenesis, refraction states and distant vision rehabilitation

Abstract

AIM:To analyze the pathogenesis, refraction states, refractive error correction with glasses and distant vision rehabilitation using optical far-range visual aids in children with childhood blindness and low vision. METHODS: A selection of 212 blind and low vision children, 422 eyes, aged 6-16, were examined by our team at the Kunming Children's Hospital Opthalmology Clinic and Kunming School of the Blind during opthalmic screening from December 2015 to April 2018 for their pathogenesis and refraction states. A portion of those patients were able to receive refractive error correction and be fitted with optical far-range visual aids to have their rehabilitation condition analyzed afterwafrds. RESULTS: The most common pathogenesis discovered in blind and low vision children was congenital genetic oculopathy with congenital cataracts reported as the leading disease in our group(19.3%). Mild, moderate myopia and hyperopia was the most common in subjects with low vision refractive error(65.3%). Children achieved blindness correction(26.4%)and disability correction(14.6%)with refractive error correction alone was much less than those achieved blindness correction(58.3%)and disability correction(91.1%)using refractive correction alongside fitted far-range visual aids; differences were statistically significant(PCONCLUSION: The pathogenesis of children with blindness and low vision is multi-faceted and complex; priority should be given to prevention by working to provide regular opthalmic screening. Children with low vision should receive routine refraction examinations and be prescribed glasses as well as fitted far-range visual aids for satisfactory rehabilitation results.

Keywords

• children
• blindness
• low vision
• pathogenesis
• refraction states
• far-range visual aids
• far-range visual aids