Low-vision rehabilitation in Italy: Cross-sectional data from the Device and Aids Registry (D.A.Re)

Abstract

Objectives We are reporting on the characteristics of low-vision adults attending large rehabilitation services which provide data to D.A.Re (Devices & Aids REgister) in Italy. D.A.Re aims to gather information about low-vision aids owned by Italian patients with visual impairment. Methods We included consecutive patients attending low-vision rehabilitation centres providing data to D.A.Re from 2019 to July 2021. Demographic features, self-reported use of technology and aids, vision performance, and the Instrumental Activity of Daily Living (IADL) score were collected. Results 720 patients were included in the D.A.Re. About half of the patients were affected by Age-related Macular Degeneration (389, 54.9%). Patients reported a long interval between onset of vision disability and access to low-vision rehabilitation, which was over two years in almost 30% of cases. Blindness registration status was almost complete when reported, but almost 40% were unable to report on this. IADL scores were higher for younger people and those with better visual acuity and critical print size (CPS), and lower for visual field restriction ( p < 0.01 for all predictors). Of interest, better IADL scores were recorded for those with computer knowledge who used optical aids and software in univariate analyses and multivariate analyses, adjusting for level of visual disability and employment status ( p < 0.01 for all predictors). Conclusions We report on the profile of low-vision patients using rehabilitation services in Italy. Longitudinal data during and after vision rehabilitation were collected. Our results support the validity of the D.A.Re to monitor the use of low-vision devices in Italy.

Use of electronic devices by people attending vision rehabilitation services in Italy: A study based on the device and aids registry (D.A.Re)

“…(19) A strength of our study is the multicentre data collection in different low-vision services affiliated with the Italian Union for the Blind and Visually Impaired, using a standardised data collection which has previously been validated. (7) Moreover, since vision impairment is a dynamic condition, a pragmatic approach was adopted linking actual use of a given device at the moment of the clinical encounter to IADL and reading performance.…”

“…The widespread interest in this topic led us to collect clinical and personal data of patients affected by low vision disability using low-vision devices in a specific national registry. 7 The Device & Aids Register (D.A.Re), was created in 2019 by the National Institute for Device and Technology Assessment (Istituto Nazionale Valutazione Ausili e Tecnologie, INVAT) to collect individual data from several low-vision rehabilitation centres, many of which are part of the Italian Union for the Blind and Visually Impaired (Unione Italiana Ciechi e Ipovedenti, UICI). 7 The aim of this study is to investigate the characteristics of electronic device users, specifically of users of smartphones and tablets, as well as the reported Instrumental Activity of Daily Living (IADL) score and its associations with patients' characteristics in users and non-users of these devices.…”

“…The widespread interest in this topic led us to collect clinical and personal data of patients affected by low vision disability using low-vision devices in a specific national registry. 7 The Device & Aids Register (D.A.Re), was created in 2019 by the National Institute for Device and Technology Assessment (Istituto Nazionale Valutazione Ausili e Tecnologie, INVAT) to collect individual data from several low-vision rehabilitation centres, many of which are part of the Italian Union for the Blind and Visually Impaired (Unione Italiana Ciechi e Ipovedenti, UICI). 7…”

“…7 The Device & Aids Register (D.A.Re), was created in 2019 by the National Institute for Device and Technology Assessment (Istituto Nazionale Valutazione Ausili e Tecnologie, INVAT) to collect individual data from several low-vision rehabilitation centres, many of which are part of the Italian Union for the Blind and Visually Impaired (Unione Italiana Ciechi e Ipovedenti, UICI). 7…”

Vision rehabilitation in glaucoma patients

“…In one study of patients attending low-vision clinics in Italy, those with good self-reported computer knowledge who used optical aids and computer-based software were more likely to have higher quality of life scores than those without. Assistive technology devices, in particular, were found to be highly beneficial [21 ▪ ].…”