Clinical outcomes of low vision aids for enhancement of residual vision in diabetic retinopathy

Abstract

Purpose: To investigate the clinical outcomes of low vision aids for enhancement of residual vision in patients with Diabetic Retinopathy (DR). Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Hayatabad Medical Complex Peshawar, from January 2018 to December 2019. Methods: Consecutive patients with DR having poor visual acuity were assessed in a low vision clinic for vision rehabilitation. Data regarding distance and near visual acuity (VA), refractive error, types of low vision aids (LVAs), VA with best correction and with LVAs were collected and analyzed. Results: Eighty-one patients with mean age of 58.48 ± 13.54 years were included in the study out of which 63% were male. There were 29.6% Insulin dependent and 70.4% non-Insulin dependent diabetics with mean duration of 12.6 years of diabetes. At presentation, 63% had moderate vision impairment (VA <0.5 and > 1.0), 14.8% had severe vision impairment (VA <1.0 and > 1.3) and 22.2% had blindness (VA < 1.3). With LVAs, 97.5% achieved distance VA of Log MAR 0.4 or better. Mean improvement in distance VA with LVAs was Log MAR 0.95 ± 0.19 (P = 0.000; 95% CI). Near VA improved significantly with LVAs and the number of participants who could see 1M or better with their own glasses increased from 7.4% to 97.5% (p < 0.001). Binocular telescopes 2.1X were the most preferred low vision device for distance vision and prismatic magnifying spectacles for near vision. Conclusion: Visual rehabilitation through the use of LVAs was very helpful in patients with low vision caused by diabetic retinopathy.