Abstract
Purpose: :
A study into the attitudes and retrospective evaluation of 103 Working Age (18–65 aa) Visually Impaired People (Visual Acuity 0.3–0.05, Visual Field 60°–10°).
Methods: :
We included 103 patients, 54 male and 49 female, age ranged from 18 to 65 years (mean age 45 years old) attending from 2002 to 2005 to the low–vision service of the Ophthalmology Department Insubria University. The data collected included an extensive VFQ–25 Rand (Visual Function Questionnaire–25 Rand) based on several specific questions on visual and life satisfaction before and after visual rehabilitation.
Results: :
90% of patients succeed in finding a job after visual rehabilitation and increased visual and life satisfaction (p< 0.001). The VFQ–25 Rand Questionnaire shows that all the 103 patients attending the Low–Vision Service increase visual performances and life satisfaction after visual rehabilitation.
Conclusions: :
Visual rehabilitation allowed the patients to find a job despite the condition of low impaired vision. Only 50% of multi–handicap patients remains unemployed. All the patients were able to attend Daily Living Activities (ADL), reading and writing performances without tactile Braille method and avoid jobs for blind people.
Keywords: clinical (human) or epidemiologic studies: health care delivery/economics/manpower • low vision • space and scene perception