Need for optical intervention in children attending a school for the blind in Eritrea

Gyawali, Rajendra; Moodley, Vanessa R.

doi:10.1111/cxo.12601

Cited by 7 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 31 publications

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“…Although the training on low vision is basic, students learn skills to calculate the simple magnification required for near aids such as spectacle magnifiers [7]. A high unmet need for low vision rehabilitative services has been demonstrated in visually impaired children in Eritrea [5]. Currently, there is no formal low vision service available in Eritrea and the national blindness program needs to work on establishing various levels of low vision rehabilitative services where these trained OTs can be utilized.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…If these two major causes of vision impairment were considered priorities and control measures were implemented consistently across the world, two-thirds of the visually impaired people could recover good sight [1–4]. However, studies have shown a high rate of unmet need for refractive correction in both general adult population and visually impaired children in Eritrea [5, 6]. Lack of awareness, unavailability of services and high costs of spectacles have been cited as some of the reasons why Eritreans have very low met need of spectacles for refractive errors [5, 6].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, studies have shown a high rate of unmet need for refractive correction in both general adult population and visually impaired children in Eritrea [5, 6]. Lack of awareness, unavailability of services and high costs of spectacles have been cited as some of the reasons why Eritreans have very low met need of spectacles for refractive errors [5, 6]. Similarly, the lack of appropriate spectacles has also been shown to be responsible for poor visual outcome after cataract surgery in Eritrea [2].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Practice scope and job confidence of two-year trained optometry technicians in Eritrea

Gyawali

Bhayal

2019

BMC Med Educ

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Background A two-year optometry technician (OT) training was started in Eritrea in 2009 to fulfill the immediate human resource needs in providing refractive, dispensing and primary eye care services in vision centers. This study aimed to assess the current practice pattern and confidence level among the OTs. Methods A self-administered questionnaire was developed and administered to all available OTs in January 2017. The OTs were identified through the Ministry of Health’s database. The questionnaire included questions on demographics, scope of practice and confidence level in the clinical practice areas. Results A total of 94 OTs had graduated by the end of 2016 and 71 (75.5%) of them were involved in the country’s eye care services. All the 70 OTs who completed the survey were working under the Ministry of Health in various regions of the country. The mean age of the OTs was 25.6 ± 4.7 years (range: 20 to 48 years) and 43 (61.4%) of them were male. Four out of six regions in the country lacked the required number of OTs for the recommended ratio of one refractionist to 50,000 population. All the OTs provided refraction services; however, they lacked experience in dispensing (62.9%), clinical examination of patients (35.7%) and low vision care (4.3%). While the OTs expressed confidence in refractive procedures, low levels of confidence were expressed for dispensing and primary eye care services. Conclusion OTs contributed to the primary eye care sector in Eritrea. However, high attrition rate, imbalanced distribution, a limited practice in core areas and low clinical confidence were the key challenges for this profession in this country. With better facilities, improved infrastructure and extended education and career opportunities, the two-year trained OTs could potentially serve further in the Eritrean eye care system. Further studies to evaluate the competency, job satisfaction and effectiveness OTs are recommended.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Practice scope and job confidence of two-year trained optometry technicians in Eritrea

Gyawali

Bhayal

2019

BMC Med Educ

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“…This is a serious concern since it has been established that the provision of low-vision services and devices dramatically increases the quality of life of low-vision patients [2]. The provision of low-vision assistive devices also enables low-vision learners to utilize their residual vision so that they don't have to learn braille necessarily [31]. Furthermore, low-vision assistive devices improve reading rehabilitation in low-vision patients [19], and their reading performance increases with magnification [6,10,32].…”

Section: The Use Of Assistive Devicesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Availability and helpfulness of low vision assistive devices for low vision learners attending inclusive schools in Kakamega County, Kenya

Ashioya,

Clarke-Farr

2024

Ophthalmol J

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BACKGROUND: Low-vision assistive devices play an essential role in improving the reading performance and quality of life of low-vision children. MATERIAL AND METHODS:A school-based observational cross-sectional study design was employed based on a census survey that identified 21 low-vision learners who had been assessed and placed in 11 primary public inclusive schools in Kakamega County, of whom 19 consented to participate in this study. Participants responded to the LV Prasad Functional Vision Questionnaire, which elicited how their vision influenced their ease of functioning in dayto-day activities. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 25 software for descriptive and inferential statistics. RESULTS:The majority (63.2%) of learners did not have assistive devices, which may have resulted in the participants' poor performance in daily living activities. Available assistive devices included spectacle magnifiers (15.8%), dome magnifiers (5.3%), telescopes (5.3%), and spectacles (5.3%). One learner (5.3%) reported the use of multiple assistive devices. Only one learner (5.3%) reported that their assistive device served them perfectly well. The rest, 15.9%, reported that the devices served them reasonably well, 10.5% reported a little, and 5.3% reported that the device was not helping them. CONCLUSIONS:The findings of this study highlight the lack of assistive devices as a critical barrier to the effective implementation of the inclusive learning system in Kenya. Most low-vision learners attending inclusive schools in Kakamega County did not use any assistive devices, and of the few who did use them, most reported that the devices did not serve them well.

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“…The results of this study have significant implications for eye care services and educational support for visually impaired children attending blind schools in Gujarat. Early diagnosis and targeted interventions for specific ocular syndromes are essential to prevent avoidable vision loss and enhance the overall well-being and educational outcomes of these children[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10].…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Prevalence of Ocular Syndrome in Blind Schools of Gujarat

Haren Shah,

Satani(Purohit)

2023

Act Sci Oph

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Objective: This research paper aims to investigate the prevalence of ocular syndrome in blind schools located in Gujarat, India. Ocular syndromes encompass a variety of eye conditions that can lead to visual impairment or blindness. Understanding the prevalence of these syndromes in blind school settings is essential for developing targeted interventions and improving eye care services for visually impaired children. Methods:A cross-sectional study was conducted in multiple blind schools across Gujarat. A total of 500 visually impaired children aged between 6 to 18 years were included in the study. Comprehensive ophthalmic examinations were performed by qualified ophthalmologists and optometrists to identify and classify different ocular syndromes. Visual acuity measurements, refraction assessments, and fundus evaluations were conducted to determine the severity and characteristics of each syndrome. Results:The results revealed a significant prevalence of ocular syndromes among visually impaired children in the blind schools of Gujarat. The most common ocular syndromes observed were retinal dystrophies (30%), followed by congenital cataracts (25%), optic nerve disorders (20%), and corneal abnormalities (15%). Other less frequent ocular syndromes, including anterior segment dysgenesis and glaucoma, were observed in the remaining 10% of the cases. Conclusion:This research paper highlights the considerable burden of ocular syndromes among visually impaired children in blind schools of Gujarat. The high prevalence of retinal dystrophies and congenital cataracts underscores the importance of early diagnosis and timely interventions to prevent irreversible vision loss. The findings of this study are valuable for developing targeted eye care programs and educational interventions that cater to the specific needs of visually impaired children with different ocular syndromes in Gujarat.

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Need for optical intervention in children attending a school for the blind in Eritrea

Cited by 7 publications

References 31 publications

Practice scope and job confidence of two-year trained optometry technicians in Eritrea

Practice scope and job confidence of two-year trained optometry technicians in Eritrea

Availability and helpfulness of low vision assistive devices for low vision learners attending inclusive schools in Kakamega County, Kenya

Prevalence of Ocular Syndrome in Blind Schools of Gujarat

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