Search

Objective: Functional Vision (FV) is vital for the successful growth of children with visual impairment. However, tasks related to measuring FV have not been thoroughly studied for this population. To address this gap, this study seeks to establish a comprehensive set of vision-related tasks that consider both the difficulty levels of activities and the ages of children with visual impairment. Methods: This study utilized a sequential multi-method design, including a scoping review, a qualitative content analysis, and a focus group. Firstly, a scoping review was conducted to identify vision-related tasks based on the literature. Then, to contextualize the vision-related tasks, a qualitative content analysis was carried out. Subsequently, a focus group was conducted to categorize the identified tasks based on their difficulty levels and the children's level of dependency. We utilized the directed content analysis method to analyze the data, using the occupational domain of the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework 4th edition (OTPF-4) as the primary framework. Results: During the review phase, which included 22 studies, and the interview phase, which involved 16 participants, a total of 95 and 85 vision-related tasks were identified, respectively. These tasks were then categorized into 17 activities and five occupations, which included activities of daily living (ADL), instrumental activities of daily living (IADL), education, play, and participation in social activities. Among these occupations, ADL was the easiest, while participation in social activities was the most challenging. Finally, the tasks were arranged based on their difficulty level for children with visual impairment. Conclusion: A comprehensive list of vision-related tasks has been developed based on the difficulty level of the tasks and the degree of dependency of children with visual impairment. This list can be used to develop standardized instruments for assessing FV in children with visual impairment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective This study was conducted to investigate the strategies used by visually impaired and blind people in Iran to cope with difficulty performing daily living activities. Materials & Methods This research is a qualitative study using a content analysis method. The participants were 18 visually impaired and blind people who were purposefully selected from those referred to the Visual Aid Research Center of Iran University of Medical Sciences in Tehran City, Iran. A semistructured interview was first used using general questions about some daily living activities to discover the participants' experiences. Attempts were made to allow participants to express their experiences independently without the help of the interviewer. The interviews were recorded as an audio file. After the interview, the audio files were transcribed and analyzed using thematic content analysis. The key sentences were extracted from the main texts, and the strategies or concepts extracted from those sentences were identified. Common strategies were put under one category. After the data saturation, when no new concept was found in the sentences, the interviews ended. By examining similar strategies in a category, subcategories were defined, and finally, similar subcategories were placed in a more general category, and the main themes or strategies were identified. Results The Mean±SD age of the participants was 39.5±11 years, ranging from 22 to 66 years. Of 18 participants, 7 were blind, 7 had severe visual impairment, and 4 had moderate visual impairment. Their duration of blindness or visual impairment was more than five years. In terms of education, 7 had no high school diploma, and 11 had a high school diploma or higher degree. Vision loss was congenital in some subjects and acquired in others. We extracted 8 main themes or strategies used by the subjects to cope with difficulty performing daily living activities. These themes are trust in others, use of alternative senses, efficient vision care, use of technology, optimization of the living environment, avoiding a specific activity, increasing emotional intelligence, and use of intelligence and memory. Conclusion The strategies used by the visually impaired and blind people in Iran are entirely personal and innovative and play an influential role in increasing their quality of life. According to their own statements, these strategies can solve their many problems in performing daily living activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Archives of Rehabilitation is the property of Negah Institute for Social Research & Scientific Communication and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Purpose: To evaluate the enhancing effects of vision therapy on eye–hand coordination skills in students with visual impairments. Methods: Thirty-five visually impaired patients who underwent vision therapy comprised the treatment group, and 35 patients with impaired vision who received no treatment comprised the control group. Full ophthalmic examinations were performed, including biomicroscopy, retinoscopy, and assessments of subjective refraction and visual acuity. Eye–hand coordination was evaluated using the Frostig test. Vision therapy in the treatment group was performed using the Bernell–Marsden ball, perceptual-motor pen, random blink test, and random shape assessment. Results: Data were analyzed for the 35 visually impaired patients and 35 control participants. The mean age was 11.51 ± 3.5 and 11.09 ± 3.1 years in the treatment and control groups, respectively. Female participants comprised 80% of the treatment group and 57% of the control group. Before treatment, the mean scores on the Frostig test were 22.74 ± 4.32 and 21.60 ± 4.10 in the treatment and control groups, respectively, and after treatment, the mean Frostig test scores were 24.69 ± 3.99 and 21.89 ± 3.92, respectively. Statistically significant intergroup differences were found in eye–hand coordination (P < 0.05). No significant intergroup differences were noted in the distance and near visual acuity values. Conclusion: The results demonstrated that vision therapy could significantly improve eye–hand coordination, but no enhancement was found in near or distance visual acuity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim was to evaluate the impact of saffron supplementation on visual function in patients with dry age-related macular degeneration (ARMD). Fifty-four participants, 23 males and 31 females, with dry ARMD were assigned to one of the following two groups. The treatment group (n=29) consumed 50 mg saffron daily during a 3-month period, while 25 subjects served as the control group. Visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, and retinal thickness were measured at the beginning and at the end of the study. Quality of life was evaluated using the Melbourne low vision index before and after treatment. Significant increases in visual acuity and contrast sensitivity were found in the saffron group but not in the control group. Changes in macular thickness were not statistically different between the two groups. Short-term consumption of saffron may slow down the progression of disease and improve visual function, especially contrast sensitivity, in patients with dry ARMD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some studies have already addressed the effects of occupational organic solvent exposure on the visually evoked potentials (VEPs). Visual system is an important target for Sulphur Mustard (SM) toxicity. A number of Iranian victims of Sulphur Mustard (SM) agent were apprehensive about the delay effect of SM on their vision and a possible delay effect of SM on their visual cortex. This investigation was performed on 34 individuals with a history of chemical exposure and a control group of 15 normal people. The Toennies electro-diagnosis device was used and its signals were saved as the latencies. The mean of N75, N140 and P100 of victims of chemical warfare (VCWs) and control group indicated no significant results (P>0.05). The VCWs did not show any visual symptoms and there was no clear deficit in their VEPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In accordance with the objectives envisaged by the Vision 2020 WHO global initiative, this study was designed to reveal the causes of low vision (LV) and also patient preference for and acceptance of different visual aids. The study was performed between March 2002 and October 2003 in the Low Vision Clinic of the SABA Research and Education Center of Iran. Methods: A descriptive clinical study of patients complaining of low vision was performed. All patients were examined by an ophthalmologist for retinal disease. Non-corrected visual acuity (VA), best-corrected VA, and patient preference for a specific visual aid were registered. Results: Of the 468 (315 male) patients included in the study, age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) was the cause of low vision in 19.9%, congenital disease (albinism, nystagmus, rod & cone dystrophies, different syndromes, etc.) in 17.5%, retinitis pigmentosa in 16%, diabetic retinopathy in 12.4%, retinal disease (different types of maculopathies, retinal scars, retinal hemorrhages, vein occlusion, glaucoma, etc.) in 11.5%, cataract in 7.3%, refractive errors in 5.3%, and other causes (traumas and burns, brain tumors, corneal opacities, strabismus, etc.) in 10.1%. For the correction of distance vision, 65.6% of the population preferred a telescope, while 23.1% refused to use any device. In contrast, 29% preferred microscopes for near vision and 20.3% refused to use visual aids. Conclusion: Congenital diseases seem to be one of the most important causes of blindness and should not be ignored in prevention plans. In addition, visual aids with a usage similar to that of spectacles were preferred by patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To investigate the effect of using base-out prisms on nystagmus, visual acuity and contrast sensitivity in patients with albinism., Methods: In this interventional study, patients with albinism who had nystagmus were enrolled. A comprehensive eye exam was conducted, which included refraction, assessment of far and near vision acuity, and contrast sensitivity measurements. To check for the nystagmus, a videonystagmography was used. The tests were carried out in three modes: without any correction, with optical correction, and with correction using base-out prisms in three different powers, including 4, 6, and 8 prism diopters., Results: Totally 23 patients with average age of 28.65±12.13 were examined. It was found that the use of optical correction and optical correction with prisms resulted in a statistically significant improvement in both far (at least: P <0.006) and near visual acuity (at least: P <0.001 except for prism 8; P <0.02). In addition, contrast sensitivity significantly improved at all low and medium frequencies except for correction with prism 8 in frequency 1.5 (at least: P <0.01 except for prism 4, frequency 6; P =0.04). no significant improvement was observed in the evaluation of nystagmus characteristics., Conclusion: Optical correction with a prism can improve visual acuity and some spatial frequencies, but failed to improve nystagmus parameters., Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest: Dashti M, None; Riazi A, None; Ashrafi M, None; Rahmani S, None; Tabatabaei SM, None., (International Journal of Ophthalmology Press.)

Objective: Functional Vision (FV) is vital for the successful growth of children with visual impairment. However, tasks related to measuring FV have not been thoroughly studied for this population. To address this gap, this study seeks to establish a comprehensive set of vision-related tasks that consider both the difficulty levels of activities and the ages of children with visual impairment., Methods: This study utilized a sequential multi-method design, including a scoping review, a qualitative content analysis, and a focus group. Firstly, a scoping review was conducted to identify vision-related tasks based on the literature. Then, to contextualize the vision-related tasks, a qualitative content analysis was carried out. Subsequently, a focus group was conducted to categorize the identified tasks based on their difficulty levels and the children's level of dependency. We utilized the directed content analysis method to analyze the data, using the occupational domain of the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework 4th edition (OTPF-4) as the primary framework., Results: During the review phase, which included 22 studies, and the interview phase, which involved 16 participants, a total of 95 and 85 vision-related tasks were identified, respectively. These tasks were then categorized into 17 activities and five occupations, which included activities of daily living (ADL), instrumental activities of daily living (IADL), education, play, and participation in social activities. Among these occupations, ADL was the easiest, while participation in social activities was the most challenging. Finally, the tasks were arranged based on their difficulty level for children with visual impairment., Conclusion: A comprehensive list of vision-related tasks has been developed based on the difficulty level of the tasks and the degree of dependency of children with visual impairment. This list can be used to develop standardized instruments for assessing FV in children with visual impairment., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Ghasemi Fard, Mirzaie, Hosseini, Riazi and Ebadi.)

Purpose: To investigate the differences and limits of agreement in measuring corneal thickness using Pentacam, Corvis, and intraocular lens (IOL)-Master 700 devices., Methods: This study was conducted on 37 right eyes of 21 males and 16 females ( n = 37) with a mean age of 52.11 ± 6.30 years. The central corneal thickness was measured using three optical biometric devices, including Pentacam, Corvis, and IOL-Master 700. The inclusion criteria were normal eyes without any ophthalmological abnormalities, history of ocular pathology, or ocular surgery. The data obtained from these three devices were compared two by two. The correlation and agreement limits among them were analyzed using statistical techniques., Results: The mean standard deviation differences between Pentacam and Corvis, Pentacam and IOL-Master 700, as well as Corvis and IOL-Master 700 regarding the corneal thickness measurement, were 22.13 ± 8.05, 7.91 ± 8.02, and 14.21 ± 9.85 μm, respectively, which were statistically significant ( P < 0.0001). Based on the investigation of the limits of agreement according to the Bland Altman method, the corresponding values between Pentacam and Corvis, Pentacam and IOL-Master 700, and Corvis and IOL-Master 700 were -16.2 to +15.4, -15.8 to +16.3, and -20.1 to +20.0 μm, respectively. Furthermore, the correlation coefficients of the measurements obtained by Pentacam and Corvis, Pentacam and IOL-Master 700, as well as Corvis and IOL-Master 700 were determined 0.957, 0.964, and 0.948, respectively ( P < 0.0001)., Conclusion: The results from this study indicate that the interchangeable use of these three devices is not appropriate due to statistically significant differences and broad limits of agreement among the three devices, especially between Corvis and IOL-Master 700., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2022 Journal of Current Ophthalmology.)

Purpose: To determine the prevalence of hyperopia and myopia and their associations with age and gender in 5- to 15-year-old children in underserved rural areas in Iran., Methods: In this cross-sectional study, sampling was done using a multistage cluster sampling method from two underprivileged rural regions in Iran, and 3851 persons over 1 year old of age were invited to the study. After inviting the selected participants, examinations were conducted at a designated site in the selected villages. All participants underwent measurements of uncorrected and corrected visual acuity, manifest refraction, and a slit-lamp examination. Cycloplegic refraction was done by instilling cyclopentolate 1% eye drops in under 15-year-old participants., Results: Of the 3851 selected persons, 3314 subjects participated (86.5%), and of these, 602 were in the 5-15 year age group. The prevalence of myopia and hyperopia in the studied children was 2.60% [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.10-4.10] and 4.00% (95% CI: 1.84-6.15), respectively. The prevalence of myopia in male and female children was 2.65% and 2.55%, respectively ( P  = 0.951). The prevalence of hyperopia in male and female children was 2.83% and 5.25%, respectively ( P  = 0.130). The prevalence of myopia in the villages of southwest and north was 2.42% and 3.09%, respectively ( P  = 0.618), and the prevalence of hyperopia was 4.71% and 2.10%, respectively ( P  = 0.0056)., Conclusion: The present report is a brief description of the status of refractive errors in children residing in underprivileged villages of two rural districts in Iran. As presented, the prevalence of myopia is not high, although the prevalence of hyperopia is in the mid-range compared to previous studies.