Clinical effect of low vision aids.

Ji,  Y H; Park,  H J; Oh,  S Y

doi:1999.13.1.52

Korean J Ophthalmol > Volume 13(1); 1999 > Article

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Korean Journal of Ophthalmology 1999;13(1):52-56.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3341/kjo.1999.13.1.52 Published online June 30, 1999.

Clinical effect of low vision aids.

Y H Ji, H J Park, S Y Oh

Department of Ophthalmology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University, School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.

Abstract

The number of patients with low vision is increasing as life expectancy increases. In addition, the interest and demand for low vision aids are also increasing with improved socioeconomic status and the development of mass media. Therefore, it is imperative to recognize the importance of low vision aids. We reviewed the clinical records of 118 patients who visited our low vision clinic more than twice. According to the data analyzed, optic nerve atrophy, retinal degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration were the most common causes of low vision in these patients. The best corrected visual acuities without low vision aids were less than 0.3, but with the help of low vision aids, vision improved to more than 0.4 in 87% of the patients for near vision, and 56% for distant vision. The patients had complained that they could not read books, see a blackboard, recognize a person at a distance, and had other problems because of low vision. However, with the use of low vision aids their satisfaction with their vision rose to 70%. Hand magnifiers, high-powered spectacle lenses, and stand magnifiers were the low vision aids commonly used by people for near vision, while the Galilean telescope and Keplerian telescope were the most popular devices used for distant vision. In conclusion, low vision aids are very helpful devices to patients with low vision.

Key Words: Low vision aids;Magnifiers;Telescope