Appraisal of Low Vision Devices in South East Nigeria

Abstract

With strategic interventions in vision rehabilitation, eye care professionals have a chance to reduce the implications of vision loss. This study appraised low vision devices in the low vision population of the South-East geopolitical zone of Nigeria. Clinical assessments including external examination, refraction, and ophthalmoscopy were carried out on 239 individuals with vision impairment seen in outreaches in 5 states of South-East Nigeria. Data were analyzed using the IBM SPSS (version 24.0). Statistical significance was based on p<0.05. Individuals with moderate and severe vision impairment were 53.1% and 23.0% respectively while blindness was 23.9% in the study population. More so, 64.4% of the population had never visited an eye care professional despite poor vision. Of the 32. 2% who had used a form of assistive device; magnifiers were most common. Ignorance (53.1%), distance (20.9%), cost (7.9%), and insufficient service (7.9%) were challenges faced by respondents. The relationship between the use of low vision devices and their helpfulness to daily living was significant (P=0.04); urban dwellers also had a statistically significant better access to eye care services than rural dwellers (P=0.04). A human capacity that gets drained by vision impairment will be recovered if there is a strategic low vision intervention as this leads to an upturn in the socio-economic fortunes of the region. Eye care professionals need to integrate the basic practice of low vision into their regular practice. There is also a need for public awareness of the possibilities of low vision rehabilitation to promote uptake.