Introduction to low vision 1

Question 1

what is visual impairment?

Answer 1

.a person who has visual impairment , full remediation is not possible by conventional spectacles or medical intervention and which causes restriction in that persons everyday life

Question 2

what does visual impairment include ?

Answer 2

. there is an impairment of visual function
. full remediation is not possible with spectacles , contact lens or medical intervention
. visual impairment causes restriction in peoples everyday life

Question 3

who mainly has visual impairment?

Answer 3

. it is mainly older people who have low vision
. 80% of registered people are over 90%
. 90% of people with visual impairment are over 60 years old

Question 4

why is it mainly older people who have VI ?

Answer 4

. due to age related eye condition
. older people are living longer in the UK
. by 2031 , 40% of population will be over 60

Question 5

what do old people with VI also can suffer with ?

Answer 5

. many of these people live alone
. hearing problems
. mobility problems

Question 6

what is the impact of visual impairment on an individual?

Answer 6

. employment
34% of individual who have VI are in employment
. independence
no longer able to drive , cook , managing money
. psychological impact
VIP are prone to depressive symptoms
. well being
VI can increase the number of injuries resulting from falls
. social impact
reduced participation in social activities

Question 7

what is the economic impact of vision loss ?

Answer 7

cost of VI in 2008 6.5 billion

this includes cost of hospital and social care and lower employment and informal carers

Question 8

what is the impact of VI on carers ?

Answer 8

. depressive symptoms
. economic impact
. psychological impact

Question 9

what are the common causes of VI in the UK ?

Answer 9

. age related macular degeneration ( 40% )
. glaucoma ( 30% )
. diabetic retinopathy ( 8%)

Question 10

what is age related macular degeneration?

Answer 10

. main cause of blindness in the UK and developed nations

. third cause of blindness globally

Question 11

what are the risk factors of age related macular degeneration ?

Answer 11

. age
. high blood pressure
. tobacco consumption
. high blood cholesterol
. UV 
. hyperopia
. race - white

Question 12

what are the types of AMD?

Answer 12

. atrophic or non-neovascular AMD (dry AMD)

. exudatie or neovascular ( wet AMD )

Question 13

what are the symptoms of AMD ?

Answer 13

. blurred vision
. straight lines appear wavy/crooked
. things look faded
. problems recognising people
. problems seeing colours

Question 14

what are the current treatments of dry AMD ?

Answer 14

nutritional supplements

Question 15

what are the current treatments of wet AMD ?

Answer 15

.anti-vascular endothelial growth factor
. macugen
. lucentis
. eyelea

Question 16

how many people does glaucoma affect?

Answer 16

. leading global cause of blindness after cataract
. 10% of UK blind registrations due to glaucoma
. 2% of people over 40 are affected in the UK

Question 17

what are the risk factors of glaucoma?

Answer 17

. age
. race ( black people )
. family history of glaucoma
. ocular risk factors e.g. myopia
. diabetes
. untreated hypertension

Question 18

what are the symptoms of glaucoma?

Answer 18

. usually asymptomatic until late stages

. tunnel vision

Question 19

what are the current treatments for glaucoma?

Answer 19

. drug treatment
. laser treatment
. surgery

Question 20

how many people does diabetic retinopathy affect ?

Answer 20

. 1 in 133 people with diabetes become blind

. major cause of VI in the working population in the UK

Question 21

what are the risk factors of diabetic retinopathy?

Answer 21

. type of diabetes and its duration
. hypertension 
. pregnancy
. age
. ethnicity (black people )
. hypelipidaemia

Question 22

what are the current treatments of diabetic retinopathy?

Answer 22

. diabetic control
. laser photocoagulation
. vitrectomy

Question 23

how many people does cataract affect ?

Answer 23

. major cause of global blindness 33% of all blindness is due to cataract
. not such a problem in the UK

Question 24

what are the types of cataract?

Answer 24

. senile
. traumatic e.g. penetrating injury
. metabolic e.g diabetes
. toxic e.g steroids
. secondary e.g. eye infection 
. maternal infections e.g rubella
. congenital

Question 25

what are the risk factors of cataract ?

Answer 25

. age
. nutrition
. family history
. diabetes

Question 26

what is charles bonnet syndrome ?

Answer 26

. visual hallucinations in elderly individuals with normal intellectual and psychological functioning
. associated with bilateral visual impairment
. common in women and elderly
. association with living alone
. associated with AMD , glaucoma and cataract

Question 27

what is the content of hallucination ?

Answer 27

. wide range of content
. people , animals , plants , shapes , spots and flashes
. occurs mostly in vivid colour
. hallucination appear with greater clarity and detail in comparison to reality

Question 28

what are some myths about the eye ?

Answer 28

. reading in dim light will not damage eyes
. you cannot strain your eye
using sight will not damage eye