Pub Date : 2023-01-12DOI: 10.1177/02646196221148333
R. Schraauwers, Maaike E Ketelaar, P. Sterkenburg
Patients with a functional neurological disorder (FND) experience a lower psychological quality of life and have more mental health concerns. These patients deserve to be treated with a treatment that is evidence-based and proven effective. However, when we look children or adolescents with functional visual disorder (FVD; a subgroup of FND), we see that there is not much evidence for the effectiveness of their treatments. Possible reasons for this lack of evidence and the difficulties in studying children and adolescents with FVD are discussed in this article. This article concludes with possible ways of persuading children and adolescents with FVD in participating in research.
{"title":"Investigating functional visual loss in children and adolescents","authors":"R. Schraauwers, Maaike E Ketelaar, P. Sterkenburg","doi":"10.1177/02646196221148333","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/02646196221148333","url":null,"abstract":"Patients with a functional neurological disorder (FND) experience a lower psychological quality of life and have more mental health concerns. These patients deserve to be treated with a treatment that is evidence-based and proven effective. However, when we look children or adolescents with functional visual disorder (FVD; a subgroup of FND), we see that there is not much evidence for the effectiveness of their treatments. Possible reasons for this lack of evidence and the difficulties in studying children and adolescents with FVD are discussed in this article. This article concludes with possible ways of persuading children and adolescents with FVD in participating in research.","PeriodicalId":51836,"journal":{"name":"British Journal of Visual Impairment","volume":"126 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2023-01-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"72509081","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-01-05DOI: 10.1177/02646196221145378
Fazlallah Afshangian, Abbas Rahimi Jaberi, J. Wellington, Sherif Ahmed Kamel Amer, B. Chaurasia, Shokufeh khanzadeh, Hosien Safari, T. Freddi, Ahmad Soltani, Leonardo Zumerkorn Pipek, D. Zimelewicz Oberman, Mehmet Resid onen, Erol Akgul, N. Montemurro, Saeedeh Hajebi Khaniki, Radnoosh Pashmforoosh
The present study compared linguistic processes and eye movement among individuals diagnosed with oculomotor apraxia (OMA) and the influence of bilingualism on OMA. Four patients consisting of one male and three females were diagnosed with OMA, and a group of four healthy individuals, comprising two males and two females who were all right-hand dominant. Also, a group of four stroke patients without ocular apraxia. Findings show that pointing skills in both the first (L1) and second language (L2) have increased, demonstrating statistical significance ( P-value < .001 and P-value = .02, respectively). Also, simple commands over time have increased in L1 and L2, showing statistical significance ( P-value < .01 and P-value < .01, respectively). Naming skills in L1 have increased over time, demonstrating statistical insignificance ( P-value < .01). However, in L2, no statistically significant change was observed ( P-value = .08). This skill in L1 in patients with OMA was significantly reduced compared to the healthy control group ( P-value = .03). Still, patients with OMA showed no statistically significant difference from their healthy counterparts ( P-value = .15). The orthographic ability of patients in L1 during the study period did not statistically change significantly ( P-value = .11). This skill level in L1 between patients with OMA and the healthy control group did not show a statistically significant difference ( P-value = .06). Still, there was a statistically significant change in the healthy control group in L2 ( P-value < .01). These findings suggest that the bilingual does not reflect a general executive in attentional guidance but could reflect more efficient guidance only under specific tasks.
{"title":"Eye movement in reading and linguistic processing among bilingualism in oculomotor apraxia in patients with aphasia","authors":"Fazlallah Afshangian, Abbas Rahimi Jaberi, J. Wellington, Sherif Ahmed Kamel Amer, B. Chaurasia, Shokufeh khanzadeh, Hosien Safari, T. Freddi, Ahmad Soltani, Leonardo Zumerkorn Pipek, D. Zimelewicz Oberman, Mehmet Resid onen, Erol Akgul, N. Montemurro, Saeedeh Hajebi Khaniki, Radnoosh Pashmforoosh","doi":"10.1177/02646196221145378","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/02646196221145378","url":null,"abstract":"The present study compared linguistic processes and eye movement among individuals diagnosed with oculomotor apraxia (OMA) and the influence of bilingualism on OMA. Four patients consisting of one male and three females were diagnosed with OMA, and a group of four healthy individuals, comprising two males and two females who were all right-hand dominant. Also, a group of four stroke patients without ocular apraxia. Findings show that pointing skills in both the first (L1) and second language (L2) have increased, demonstrating statistical significance ( P-value < .001 and P-value = .02, respectively). Also, simple commands over time have increased in L1 and L2, showing statistical significance ( P-value < .01 and P-value < .01, respectively). Naming skills in L1 have increased over time, demonstrating statistical insignificance ( P-value < .01). However, in L2, no statistically significant change was observed ( P-value = .08). This skill in L1 in patients with OMA was significantly reduced compared to the healthy control group ( P-value = .03). Still, patients with OMA showed no statistically significant difference from their healthy counterparts ( P-value = .15). The orthographic ability of patients in L1 during the study period did not statistically change significantly ( P-value = .11). This skill level in L1 between patients with OMA and the healthy control group did not show a statistically significant difference ( P-value = .06). Still, there was a statistically significant change in the healthy control group in L2 ( P-value < .01). These findings suggest that the bilingual does not reflect a general executive in attentional guidance but could reflect more efficient guidance only under specific tasks.","PeriodicalId":51836,"journal":{"name":"British Journal of Visual Impairment","volume":"28 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2023-01-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"85005444","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-01-01DOI: 10.1177/02646196211019070
Lil Deverell, Jahar Bhowmik, Abdullah Al Mahmud, Bee Theng Lau, Fakir M Amirul Islam, Suku Sukunesan, Chris McCarthy, Denny Meyer
Since the 1960s, many electronic travel aids have been developed for people with low vision or blindness to improve their independent travel skills, but uptake of these specialist devices has been limited. This study investigated what technologies orientation and mobility (O&M) clients in Australia and Malaysia have, use, like, and want to support their travel, to inform technology research and development. This two-phase mixed-methods study surveyed O&M clients face-to-face in Malaysia (n = 9), and online in Australia (n = 50). Participants managed safe walking using a human guide, long cane, or guide dog when their vision was insufficient to see hazards, but a smartphone is now a standard travel aid in both Australia and Malaysia. Participants relied on smartphone accessibility features and identified 108 apps they used for travel: for planning (e.g., public transport timetables), sourcing information in transit (e.g., GPS location and directions, finding a taxi), sensory conversion (e.g., camera-to-voice, voice-to-text, video-to-live description), social connections (e.g., phone, email, Facebook), food (e.g., finding eateries, ordering online), and entertainment (e.g., music, games). They wanted to 'carry less junk', and sought better accessibility features, consistency across platforms, and fast, reliable, real-time information that supports confident, non-visual travel, especially into unfamiliar places.
{"title":"Self-reported use of technology by orientation and mobility clients in Australia and Malaysia before the COVID-19 pandemic.","authors":"Lil Deverell, Jahar Bhowmik, Abdullah Al Mahmud, Bee Theng Lau, Fakir M Amirul Islam, Suku Sukunesan, Chris McCarthy, Denny Meyer","doi":"10.1177/02646196211019070","DOIUrl":"10.1177/02646196211019070","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Since the 1960s, many electronic travel aids have been developed for people with low vision or blindness to improve their independent travel skills, but uptake of these specialist devices has been limited. This study investigated what technologies orientation and mobility (O&M) clients in Australia and Malaysia have, use, like, and want to support their travel, to inform technology research and development. This two-phase mixed-methods study surveyed O&M clients face-to-face in Malaysia (<i>n</i> = 9), and online in Australia (<i>n</i> = 50). Participants managed safe walking using a human guide, long cane, or guide dog when their vision was insufficient to see hazards, but a smartphone is now a standard travel aid in both Australia and Malaysia. Participants relied on smartphone accessibility features and identified 108 apps they used for travel: for planning (e.g., public transport timetables), sourcing information in transit (e.g., GPS location and directions, finding a taxi), sensory conversion (e.g., camera-to-voice, voice-to-text, video-to-live description), social connections (e.g., phone, email, Facebook), food (e.g., finding eateries, ordering online), and entertainment (e.g., music, games). They wanted to 'carry less junk', and sought better accessibility features, consistency across platforms, and fast, reliable, real-time information that supports confident, non-visual travel, especially into unfamiliar places.</p>","PeriodicalId":51836,"journal":{"name":"British Journal of Visual Impairment","volume":"41 1","pages":"33-48"},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8185563/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41940544","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-12-29DOI: 10.1177/02646196221145358
Nefsu Awoke, Tiwabwork Tekalign, Mistire Teshome Guta, Tsegaye Lolaso Lenjebo, Getahun Dendir, M. S. Obsa, Gedion Asinake, Afwork Alemu Lambebo, M. Bekele
WHO Prevention of Blindness Program launched ‘‘VISION 2020” in 1999 to reduce visual impairment and eradicate avoidable blindness by the year 2020. Ethiopia launched the “VISION 2020” initiative in 2002. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to present the national prevalence of visual impairment at the end of “VISION 2020”. Electronic search was conducted on the PubMed, SCOPUS, EMBASE, Web of Science, CINAHL, Google scholar databases for including articles. This systematic review and meta-analysis followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Endnote reference manager was used for downloading, organizing, and citing articles. Methodological quality was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) quality appraisal tool for prevalence studies. Statistical analysis was done using the STATA™ software version 14. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, 18 studies involving 14,953 participants were included. The pooled prevalence of visual impairment in Ethiopia after correction for publication bias by Duval and Tweedie’s trim and fill analysis was estimated to be 6.24% (95% confidence interval [CI] = [2.66, 9.82]). The pooled prevalence of visual impairment among school children and adults in Ethiopia was 6.13% (95% CI = [4.27, 7.98]) and 19.89% (95% CI = [10.85, 28.93]), respectively. The most common causes of visual impairment in decreasing order of prevalence were refractive error, cataract, trachoma, glaucoma, and corneal opacity. Amblyopia was the cause of visual impairment among school-age child. The prevalence of visual impairment in Ethiopia was still significant at the end of “VISION 2020” program. Therefore, the program of “VISION 2020” should be extended and other large-scale programs were needed to reduce the prevalence of vision impairment in Ethiopia.
世卫组织预防失明规划于1999年发起了“VISION 2020”,目的是到2020年减少视力损害并根除可避免的失明。埃塞俄比亚于2002年启动了“愿景2020”倡议。本系统综述和荟萃分析旨在展示“VISION 2020”结束时全国视力障碍的患病率。电子检索PubMed、SCOPUS、EMBASE、Web of Science、CINAHL、Google scholar等数据库进行收录。本系统评价和荟萃分析遵循了系统评价和荟萃分析的首选报告项目(PRISMA)指南。Endnote参考管理器用于下载、组织和引用文章。采用乔安娜布里格斯研究所(JBI)流行病学研究质量评估工具评估方法学质量。使用STATA™软件版本14进行统计分析。在这项系统回顾和荟萃分析中,纳入了18项研究,涉及14953名参与者。经Duval和Tweedie 's trim and fill分析校正发表偏倚后,埃塞俄比亚视力障碍的总患病率估计为6.24%(95%置信区间[CI] =[2.66, 9.82])。埃塞俄比亚学龄儿童和成人视力障碍的总患病率分别为6.13% (95% CI =[4.27, 7.98])和19.89% (95% CI =[10.85, 28.93])。最常见的视力损害原因是屈光不正、白内障、沙眼、青光眼和角膜混浊。弱视是学龄儿童视力损害的主要原因。在“VISION 2020”项目结束时,埃塞俄比亚的视力障碍患病率仍然很高。因此,应该扩大“VISION 2020”计划,并需要其他大规模的计划来降低埃塞俄比亚视力障碍的患病率。
{"title":"Visual impairment in Ethiopia: Systematic review and meta-analysis","authors":"Nefsu Awoke, Tiwabwork Tekalign, Mistire Teshome Guta, Tsegaye Lolaso Lenjebo, Getahun Dendir, M. S. Obsa, Gedion Asinake, Afwork Alemu Lambebo, M. Bekele","doi":"10.1177/02646196221145358","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/02646196221145358","url":null,"abstract":"WHO Prevention of Blindness Program launched ‘‘VISION 2020” in 1999 to reduce visual impairment and eradicate avoidable blindness by the year 2020. Ethiopia launched the “VISION 2020” initiative in 2002. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to present the national prevalence of visual impairment at the end of “VISION 2020”. Electronic search was conducted on the PubMed, SCOPUS, EMBASE, Web of Science, CINAHL, Google scholar databases for including articles. This systematic review and meta-analysis followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Endnote reference manager was used for downloading, organizing, and citing articles. Methodological quality was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) quality appraisal tool for prevalence studies. Statistical analysis was done using the STATA™ software version 14. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, 18 studies involving 14,953 participants were included. The pooled prevalence of visual impairment in Ethiopia after correction for publication bias by Duval and Tweedie’s trim and fill analysis was estimated to be 6.24% (95% confidence interval [CI] = [2.66, 9.82]). The pooled prevalence of visual impairment among school children and adults in Ethiopia was 6.13% (95% CI = [4.27, 7.98]) and 19.89% (95% CI = [10.85, 28.93]), respectively. The most common causes of visual impairment in decreasing order of prevalence were refractive error, cataract, trachoma, glaucoma, and corneal opacity. Amblyopia was the cause of visual impairment among school-age child. The prevalence of visual impairment in Ethiopia was still significant at the end of “VISION 2020” program. Therefore, the program of “VISION 2020” should be extended and other large-scale programs were needed to reduce the prevalence of vision impairment in Ethiopia.","PeriodicalId":51836,"journal":{"name":"British Journal of Visual Impairment","volume":"15 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2022-12-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"87962146","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-12-29DOI: 10.1177/02646196221143315
R. Pilling, J. Ravenscroft
Cerebral visual impairment (CVI) is the most common cause of visual impairment in children in the United Kingdom. The mainstay of management is providing strategies and environment adaptations to allow the child to use their vision for learning and independence. It is therefore important to understand educational access policies to facilitate timely and appropriate referral to qualified teachers for learners with visual impairment (QTVI) by ophthalmologists. QTVIs were recruited from VIEW (Visual Impairment England and Wales) and the Scottish Sensory Centre (QTVI organisations) via email, newsletter and social media. Respondents were directed to an online electronic questionnaire. 116 responses were received; this represents around 18% response rate. All services accepted referrals for children with cerebral visual impairment (CVI). The majority of services (97%) did not have a strict visual acuity threshold for children with CVI. There is an inconsistent approach in the diagnosis of CVI across the United Kingdom, with some QTVI expressing concern that this had prevented children with visual dysfunction from accessing help. QTVI indicated they would welcome more referrals for Cerebral VI, at an earlier age, and that a formalised referral pathway would be beneficial. Children with CVI are accepted for support by QTVI/sensory services regardless of visual acuity. Some services welcomed referrals for children undergoing assessment where CVI had yet to be confirmed. However, the formal diagnosis of CVI by an ophthalmologist as a pre-requisite to access services in other areas emphasises the need to improve clinicians’ confidence in the diagnosis of CVI. Ophthalmologists are encouraged to engage with local QTVI/sensory teams to facilitate exchange of information and appropriate and timely referral of children in need.
{"title":"Cerebral visual impairment and educational support in the United Kingdom: Understanding thresholds for providing support","authors":"R. Pilling, J. Ravenscroft","doi":"10.1177/02646196221143315","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/02646196221143315","url":null,"abstract":"Cerebral visual impairment (CVI) is the most common cause of visual impairment in children in the United Kingdom. The mainstay of management is providing strategies and environment adaptations to allow the child to use their vision for learning and independence. It is therefore important to understand educational access policies to facilitate timely and appropriate referral to qualified teachers for learners with visual impairment (QTVI) by ophthalmologists. QTVIs were recruited from VIEW (Visual Impairment England and Wales) and the Scottish Sensory Centre (QTVI organisations) via email, newsletter and social media. Respondents were directed to an online electronic questionnaire. 116 responses were received; this represents around 18% response rate. All services accepted referrals for children with cerebral visual impairment (CVI). The majority of services (97%) did not have a strict visual acuity threshold for children with CVI. There is an inconsistent approach in the diagnosis of CVI across the United Kingdom, with some QTVI expressing concern that this had prevented children with visual dysfunction from accessing help. QTVI indicated they would welcome more referrals for Cerebral VI, at an earlier age, and that a formalised referral pathway would be beneficial. Children with CVI are accepted for support by QTVI/sensory services regardless of visual acuity. Some services welcomed referrals for children undergoing assessment where CVI had yet to be confirmed. However, the formal diagnosis of CVI by an ophthalmologist as a pre-requisite to access services in other areas emphasises the need to improve clinicians’ confidence in the diagnosis of CVI. Ophthalmologists are encouraged to engage with local QTVI/sensory teams to facilitate exchange of information and appropriate and timely referral of children in need.","PeriodicalId":51836,"journal":{"name":"British Journal of Visual Impairment","volume":"49 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2022-12-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"81143676","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-12-29DOI: 10.1177/02646196221144870
I. Manitsa, Fiona Barlow-Brown
Previous research suggests that children and adolescents with visual impairment may face several challenges in their academic learning and socio-emotional development due to restricted mobility, feelings of loneliness, and dependency on others. Habilitation services attempt to provide support with respect to many of these challenges that may positively impact on well-being and mental health, such as enabling independence in daily tasks, participation in social activities, and developing self-confidence. The literature also shows that individuals who have received educational and vocational rehabilitation support report higher quality of life and more positive self-esteem. Therefore, the primary focus of this study was on the rehabilitation, recreational opportunities, and educational resources provided by vision habilitation services for children and adolescents with visual impairments. The role that these services may play in school and daily life, as well as in the socio-emotional development of children and adolescents with visual impairments was also examined. This research covers the perspectives of professional staff, parents, children, and adolescents and considers both the immediate and potential long-term benefits of these services. The findings of the study highlighted the positive impact that this support has on children and adolescents’ independence, personal-safety, and self-confidence. The findings also indicated the positive impact of this support on the mental health of their families and benefits of providing continued support and expanding these habilitation and recreation services.
{"title":"The role of habilitation services in the lives of children and adolescents with visual impairments","authors":"I. Manitsa, Fiona Barlow-Brown","doi":"10.1177/02646196221144870","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/02646196221144870","url":null,"abstract":"Previous research suggests that children and adolescents with visual impairment may face several challenges in their academic learning and socio-emotional development due to restricted mobility, feelings of loneliness, and dependency on others. Habilitation services attempt to provide support with respect to many of these challenges that may positively impact on well-being and mental health, such as enabling independence in daily tasks, participation in social activities, and developing self-confidence. The literature also shows that individuals who have received educational and vocational rehabilitation support report higher quality of life and more positive self-esteem. Therefore, the primary focus of this study was on the rehabilitation, recreational opportunities, and educational resources provided by vision habilitation services for children and adolescents with visual impairments. The role that these services may play in school and daily life, as well as in the socio-emotional development of children and adolescents with visual impairments was also examined. This research covers the perspectives of professional staff, parents, children, and adolescents and considers both the immediate and potential long-term benefits of these services. The findings of the study highlighted the positive impact that this support has on children and adolescents’ independence, personal-safety, and self-confidence. The findings also indicated the positive impact of this support on the mental health of their families and benefits of providing continued support and expanding these habilitation and recreation services.","PeriodicalId":51836,"journal":{"name":"British Journal of Visual Impairment","volume":"65 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2022-12-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"86960610","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-12-29DOI: 10.1177/02646196221144871
Stephanie Welch-Grenier, Danene Fast, Justin T. Kaiser, Jasamyn N. DeGrant
This research evaluated the impact of COVID-19 on orientation and mobility (O&M) services for school-aged students, families, and service providers. The survey asked O&M specialists about their instructional practices and decision-making processes regarding remote instruction service provisions, allowances, and district guidelines. The online survey collected data from October to November 2020, with open-ended responses from 166 O&M specialists. A thematic analysis was used to examine and code qualitative responses. Respondents were found to divide remote instruction into two categories, foundational skills and high-level travel skills. A preference for teaching foundational skills during remote instruction was also identified, with concerns for student safety and practitioner liability reported as the deciding factors. Field-specific guidelines and potential legal vulnerabilities regarding remote instruction are considered, with an analysis of negligence and professional liability. Practices used during COVID are also examined according to the COMS Code of Ethics and Scope of Practice. The findings demonstrate the need for field-specific guidance and research-based instructional methods regarding remote instruction. O&M specialists should continue to conduct a thorough risk assessment before utilizing new and unresearched remote instructional methods as a means of acting in the best interest of the student.
{"title":"Orientation and mobility remote instruction during COVID-19: Best practices, liability, and ethics","authors":"Stephanie Welch-Grenier, Danene Fast, Justin T. Kaiser, Jasamyn N. DeGrant","doi":"10.1177/02646196221144871","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/02646196221144871","url":null,"abstract":"This research evaluated the impact of COVID-19 on orientation and mobility (O&M) services for school-aged students, families, and service providers. The survey asked O&M specialists about their instructional practices and decision-making processes regarding remote instruction service provisions, allowances, and district guidelines. The online survey collected data from October to November 2020, with open-ended responses from 166 O&M specialists. A thematic analysis was used to examine and code qualitative responses. Respondents were found to divide remote instruction into two categories, foundational skills and high-level travel skills. A preference for teaching foundational skills during remote instruction was also identified, with concerns for student safety and practitioner liability reported as the deciding factors. Field-specific guidelines and potential legal vulnerabilities regarding remote instruction are considered, with an analysis of negligence and professional liability. Practices used during COVID are also examined according to the COMS Code of Ethics and Scope of Practice. The findings demonstrate the need for field-specific guidance and research-based instructional methods regarding remote instruction. O&M specialists should continue to conduct a thorough risk assessment before utilizing new and unresearched remote instructional methods as a means of acting in the best interest of the student.","PeriodicalId":51836,"journal":{"name":"British Journal of Visual Impairment","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2022-12-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41434056","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-12-29DOI: 10.1177/02646196221144869
N. Sharma, Chetna Sharma, Ananya Sharma
This study aims to comprehend nuances of gender barriers to access cataract surgery in the rural population of Gurugram district, Haryana, India. Data from 100 male and 100 female cataract surgery patients who underwent surgery at the university-affiliated hospital’s department of ophthalmology were examined. Data on the patients’ ages, the better eye’s and operated eye’s visual acuity, the cataract’s maturity at the time of surgery and the type of cataract surgery chosen were examined. Visual impairment was defined when the better eye’s visual acuity was less than 6/18 (0.32). At the time of surgery, women had a serious visual impairment in the better eye and also opted for a less expensive surgery option. In-depth interviews and focus group discussions were planned to understand the attitude, social norms and nuances of women’s accessibility to cataract surgery. This essay includes a qualitative investigation on access restrictions based on gender.
{"title":"A qualitative study on gender barriers to access cataract surgery in rural Gurugram, Haryana, India","authors":"N. Sharma, Chetna Sharma, Ananya Sharma","doi":"10.1177/02646196221144869","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/02646196221144869","url":null,"abstract":"This study aims to comprehend nuances of gender barriers to access cataract surgery in the rural population of Gurugram district, Haryana, India. Data from 100 male and 100 female cataract surgery patients who underwent surgery at the university-affiliated hospital’s department of ophthalmology were examined. Data on the patients’ ages, the better eye’s and operated eye’s visual acuity, the cataract’s maturity at the time of surgery and the type of cataract surgery chosen were examined. Visual impairment was defined when the better eye’s visual acuity was less than 6/18 (0.32). At the time of surgery, women had a serious visual impairment in the better eye and also opted for a less expensive surgery option. In-depth interviews and focus group discussions were planned to understand the attitude, social norms and nuances of women’s accessibility to cataract surgery. This essay includes a qualitative investigation on access restrictions based on gender.","PeriodicalId":51836,"journal":{"name":"British Journal of Visual Impairment","volume":"31 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2022-12-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"74415300","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-12-14DOI: 10.1177/02646196221143072
N. Rampersad, K. Mashige
Paediatric vision impairment is a significant public health issue because of the associated health and economic consequences. This study aimed to determine the clinical characteristics and causes of vision impairment in paediatric patients who presented to a university-based low vision eye clinic in KwaZulu-Natal. The study used a retrospective design and included all paediatric patients with vision impairment who were younger than 18 years and presented to the university-based low vision eye clinic between January 2015 and December 2019. The sample consisted of 156 children with vision impairment with a similar proportion of males ( n = 82) and females ( n = 74). The mean age of the children was 13.5 ± 2.8 years, with a range of 5–17 years. Based on the best-corrected visual acuity (VA), most of the children ( n = 111) had moderate vision impairment (VA worse than 6/18 to 6/60). The most common causes of paediatric vision impairment included albinism ( n = 54), refractive error ( n = 11), cataract ( n = 10), and glaucoma ( n = 10). The retina ( n = 74) and normal globe ( n = 26) were the most affected anatomical sites. Spectacles were prescribed to almost half of the sample ( n = 76). A total of 126 optical and non-optical devices were recommended with telescopes ( n = 43) and sun-protective measures ( n = 20) being the most common. Paediatric vision impairment can have a negative impact on the quality of life. Local data related to the characteristics of children with vision impairment can be used to enhance the services provided in this university-based low vision clinic. This is important as efforts aimed at early identification, management, and rehabilitation will help minimise functional limitations and improve the quality of life of affected children.
{"title":"Clinical characteristics and causes of vision impairment in a paediatric population in a university-based low vision clinic","authors":"N. Rampersad, K. Mashige","doi":"10.1177/02646196221143072","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/02646196221143072","url":null,"abstract":"Paediatric vision impairment is a significant public health issue because of the associated health and economic consequences. This study aimed to determine the clinical characteristics and causes of vision impairment in paediatric patients who presented to a university-based low vision eye clinic in KwaZulu-Natal. The study used a retrospective design and included all paediatric patients with vision impairment who were younger than 18 years and presented to the university-based low vision eye clinic between January 2015 and December 2019. The sample consisted of 156 children with vision impairment with a similar proportion of males ( n = 82) and females ( n = 74). The mean age of the children was 13.5 ± 2.8 years, with a range of 5–17 years. Based on the best-corrected visual acuity (VA), most of the children ( n = 111) had moderate vision impairment (VA worse than 6/18 to 6/60). The most common causes of paediatric vision impairment included albinism ( n = 54), refractive error ( n = 11), cataract ( n = 10), and glaucoma ( n = 10). The retina ( n = 74) and normal globe ( n = 26) were the most affected anatomical sites. Spectacles were prescribed to almost half of the sample ( n = 76). A total of 126 optical and non-optical devices were recommended with telescopes ( n = 43) and sun-protective measures ( n = 20) being the most common. Paediatric vision impairment can have a negative impact on the quality of life. Local data related to the characteristics of children with vision impairment can be used to enhance the services provided in this university-based low vision clinic. This is important as efforts aimed at early identification, management, and rehabilitation will help minimise functional limitations and improve the quality of life of affected children.","PeriodicalId":51836,"journal":{"name":"British Journal of Visual Impairment","volume":"54 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2022-12-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"77609635","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-12-01DOI: 10.1177/02646196221139780
Romain Bertrand, B. Vrkljan, Nicolas Kühne, Linda Charvoz, J. Fournier, M. Masse, Aline Veyre, Nicolas Vuillerme
This qualitative descriptive study aims to explore the lived experience of the adjustment process of couples who face vision loss, investigating the impact of such loss on daily life and the adjustments and adaptations that ensue. To undertake such an exploration, the application of an occupational perspective is relevant where the meaning and purpose partners ascribe to their everyday activities can be investigated. A total of 16 couples living in Western Switzerland were interviewed between January and June 2020. Data collection was carried out with semi-structured face-to-face interview. Three themes emerge from the thematic analysis of transcripts. The first theme emphasizes that either separate or joint everyday activities of partners can be shared within couples, which all give sense to the partnership; the second one shows that vision loss disrupts the engagement of partners in such shared everyday activities. The third theme highlights partners’ efforts to reshape their engagement in their shared everyday activities in order to maintain a sense of couple’s we-ness. While navigating vision loss requires both partners to jointly engage in this process of reshaping, couples described tension that arises because of the partners with vision loss’ growing dependence on the other partner. One’s sense of control when navigating vision loss is critical to adjust to a changing and changed daily life. Further research is needed that focuses on how romantic partners ascribe a shared meaning and purpose to their engagement in everyday activities, separate or joint, and how such meaning and purpose are impacted by the onset or aggravation of one partner’s vision loss.
{"title":"When one partner can no longer see: Exploring the lived experiences of romantic partners in the context of vision loss","authors":"Romain Bertrand, B. Vrkljan, Nicolas Kühne, Linda Charvoz, J. Fournier, M. Masse, Aline Veyre, Nicolas Vuillerme","doi":"10.1177/02646196221139780","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/02646196221139780","url":null,"abstract":"This qualitative descriptive study aims to explore the lived experience of the adjustment process of couples who face vision loss, investigating the impact of such loss on daily life and the adjustments and adaptations that ensue. To undertake such an exploration, the application of an occupational perspective is relevant where the meaning and purpose partners ascribe to their everyday activities can be investigated. A total of 16 couples living in Western Switzerland were interviewed between January and June 2020. Data collection was carried out with semi-structured face-to-face interview. Three themes emerge from the thematic analysis of transcripts. The first theme emphasizes that either separate or joint everyday activities of partners can be shared within couples, which all give sense to the partnership; the second one shows that vision loss disrupts the engagement of partners in such shared everyday activities. The third theme highlights partners’ efforts to reshape their engagement in their shared everyday activities in order to maintain a sense of couple’s we-ness. While navigating vision loss requires both partners to jointly engage in this process of reshaping, couples described tension that arises because of the partners with vision loss’ growing dependence on the other partner. One’s sense of control when navigating vision loss is critical to adjust to a changing and changed daily life. Further research is needed that focuses on how romantic partners ascribe a shared meaning and purpose to their engagement in everyday activities, separate or joint, and how such meaning and purpose are impacted by the onset or aggravation of one partner’s vision loss.","PeriodicalId":51836,"journal":{"name":"British Journal of Visual Impairment","volume":"9 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2022-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"90509407","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}