Glaucoma as a cause of low vision

Abstract

A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out at the Low Vision Services of the Arnaldo Milian Castro Provincial University Hospital in Villa Clara with the aim of determining the incidence of glaucoma as a cause of low vision in our environment and the behavior of rehabilitation in those cases. Glaucoma is among the tree main causes of visual disability in the world, being chronic simple glaucoma the most common one. It commonly appears without symptoms, that is why it is called “a thief of sight”. Our study universe was the total amount of adult people attending to the Low Vision Services from September 1997 to September 2007. All the patients underwent a full clinical ophthalmologic assessment and low vision tests. From a total amount of 447 people 13.42 percent presented glaucoma as the cause of visual disability. Most of the patients were males (35); the most affected age group was over 60 years of age (53). Long range visual acuity improved in 45 eyes and none of them presented a worsening in this aspect. The visual field per eyes was: 64 within the limits of normality, 21 between 10°-6°, 17 eyes with 5° or less, and 18 eyes which resulted null. A total of 46 patients (76.67%) were considered rehabilitated when discharged; seven with conventional optical correction for short range vision and 39 with optical aids. Fourteen patients were not considered rehabilitated because they did not reached the goals they had when attended the consulting room, though they improved their visual acuity and, thus, their quality of life.