Abstract
Purpose :
Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of low vision, however amongst rehabilitation facilities in the United States, glaucoma patients comprise only 13.9% of patients. This study aims to define characteristics of glaucoma patients attending low vision services (LVS) in order to develop treatment algorithms tailored to glaucoma patients experiencing vision loss.
Methods :
The charts of glaucoma patients attending the Hoover Vision Rehabilitation Center between August 2012 and October 2018 were retrospectively reviewed. Primary data points of interest included demographic information, measures of visual function including visual acuity (VA), contrast sensitivity, visual field, depression screening, visual hallucinations, and performance in activities of living (ADLs) before and after participation in low vision services.
Results :
A total of 191 glaucoma patients were seen at the Hoover Vision Rehabilitation Center between August 2012 and October 2018. Visual acuity in the better-seeing eye ranged from 20/20 to light perception. Patient ages ranged from 9 to 103, with a mean of 77 years old. Of the referring physicians, 17.2%=comprehensive ophthalmology; glaucoma=48.7%; retina=3.6%; cornea=5.2%; pediatrics=1.6%; oculoplastics=1%; optometry=4.7%; self-referred=1%; friend=1%; neuro-ophthalmology=2.1%; occupational therapy=0.5%; uveitis=0.55; more than 1 doctor=12.6%. Subsets of the glaucoma patients were further stratified, which revealed those with normal tension glaucoma =2.6%, primary open angle=69.1%, angle closure=5.8%, pigmentary=1%, neovascular=0.5%, traumatic =1%, uveitic =3, mixed mechanism=0.5%, congenital and/or juvenile=1%, unspecified=2.6%, pseudoexfoliation=1%, multifactorial=1.6%, unknown=11.5%. The number of patients with a history of glaucoma surgery in both eyes=155, one eye=30, and no surgery in either eye=6. The average IOP in the right eye (OD) was 16, and the average IOP of the left eye (OS) was 15. The average LogMAR visual acuity (VA) OD = 1.08, average LogMAR VA OS = 1.15, which correlated with the average visual field mean deviation (MD) OD = -16.74, and visual field MD OS = -16.88.
Conclusions :
This study provides a better understanding of the characteristics of glaucoma patients attending low vision services and the aids needed for visual rehabilitation and completion of activities of daily living.
This is a 2020 ARVO Annual Meeting abstract.