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Social, Educational and Medical Aspects after Cataract Surgery of Bilaterally Blind Children in Kinshasa—Perception of Parents and Children. CHILDREN 2022; 9:children9111683. [DOI: 10.3390/children9111683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Revised: 10/27/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
The study investigated the influence of bilateral cataract surgery on the social and educational development of previously bilaterally blind children in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), where the prevalence of blindness due to cataract is higher than in high-income countries. The views of both, parents and children, were evaluated with structured interviews based on a newly developed questionnaire related to surgery, follow-up, and family life after surgery. The mean age of the children at interview was 14.4 ± 8.1 years, with 27 females and 26 males. Satisfaction with the outcome of the surgery was reported by 91% of parents. Parents would recommend surgery, because of the children being happy and able to act more independently, with personal, educational and familial factors essentially contributing to the reported satisfaction. The results also showed that 85.0% of children did not wear eyeglasses. Reasons given were mainly cost-related, but also included limited communication between families and health institutions. Providing and maintaining a high-quality and accessible pediatric cataract surgery and healthcare service for follow-up is a major requisite to reduce childhood blindness in SSA. Our study proved the necessity and effectiveness of a community-based rehabilitation program that cares about each individual child, whatever his or her social background.
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May E, Arach P, Kishiki E, Geneau R, Maehara G, Sukhai M, Hamm LM. Learning to see after early and extended blindness: A scoping review. Front Psychol 2022; 13:954328. [PMID: 36389599 PMCID: PMC9648338 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.954328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 10/03/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE If an individual has been blind since birth due to a treatable eye condition, ocular treatment is urgent. Even a brief period of visual deprivation can alter the development of the visual system. The goal of our structured scoping review was to understand how we might better support children with delayed access to ocular treatment for blinding conditions. METHOD We searched MEDLINE, Embase and Global Health for peer-reviewed publications that described the impact of early (within the first year) and extended (lasting at least 2 years) bilateral visual deprivation. RESULTS Of 551 reports independently screened by two authors, 42 studies met our inclusion criteria. Synthesizing extracted data revealed several trends. The data suggests persistent deficits in visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, global motion, and visual-motor integration, and suspected concerns for understanding complex objects and faces. There is evidence for resilience in color perception, understanding of simple shapes, discriminating between a face and non-face, and the perception of biological motion. There is currently insufficient data about specific (re)habilitation strategies to update low vision services, but there are several insights to guide future research in this domain. CONCLUSION This summary will help guide the research and services provision to help children learn to see after early and extended blindness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eloise May
- School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | | | | | - Robert Geneau
- Kilimanjaro Centre for Community Ophthalmology, Moshi, Tanzania
- Division of Ophthalmology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Goro Maehara
- Department of Human Sciences, Kanagawa University, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Mahadeo Sukhai
- Accessibility, Research and International Affairs, Canadian National Institute for the Blind, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Medicine, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada
| | - Lisa M. Hamm
- School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
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Lenhart PD, Lambert SR. Current management of infantile cataracts. Surv Ophthalmol 2022; 67:1476-1505. [DOI: 10.1016/j.survophthal.2022.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Revised: 03/13/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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Olowoyeye AO, Musa KO, Aribaba OT. Outcome of training of maternal and child health workers in Ifo Local Government Area, Ogun State, Nigeria, on common childhood blinding diseases: a pre-test, post-test, one-group quasi-experimental study. BMC Health Serv Res 2019; 19:430. [PMID: 31248402 PMCID: PMC6598310 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-019-4272-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2018] [Accepted: 06/17/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Maternal and child health workers (MCHWs) are often the first point of contact with pregnant women, children, and caregivers. Therefore, they can play a significant role in early detection of causes of childhood blindness, facilitate prompt referral to specialized centers and provide health education to caregivers for preventive eye care. METHODS This is a pre-test, post-test, single group, quasi-experimental study to evaluate the outcome of training MCHWs on common blinding childhood diseases. All MCHWs in Ifo Local Government Area were selected to participate in the study. Pre-training, qualitative data was obtained from two focus group discussions while quantitative data was obtained using a self-administered questionnaire. Three months post-training, quantitative data was obtained using the same self-administered questionnaire as was used pre-training. Total and percentage scores on the pre- and post-tests were calculated for each participant. A score of ≥70% was regarded as sufficient while < 70% score was regarded as insufficient. McNemar's test was used to determine differences in proportions between pre- and post-training quantitative measurements. RESULTS Of the 65 MCHWs in the Local Government Area, 61 participated in the study giving a response rate of 93.8%. The age range of study participants was from 28 to 57 years with a mean age of 41 ± 8.3 years. The male: female ratio was 1:7.7. During the focus group discussions, measles was the most commonly mentioned cause of childhood blindness however, participants showed more knowledge of the signs and symptoms of new-born conjunctivitis. Based on a sufficient knowledge score of ≥70%, only one participant (1.6%) demonstrated sufficient knowledge on quantitative survey pre-training. Post-training, there was a statistically significant increase (20, 32.8%) in the proportion of participants with sufficient knowledge (McNemar's test p = .000). CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrated that the training of MCHWs on common childhood blinding diseases (such as congenital cataract and congenital glaucoma) had the potential to improve knowledge regarding prevention, prompt recognition and early referral of common treatable potentially blinding diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - K O Musa
- Department of Ophthalmology (Guinness Eye Center), Lagos University Teaching Hospital/ College of Medicine of the University of Lagos, Idi-Araba, Lagos, Nigeria
| | - O T Aribaba
- Department of Ophthalmology (Guinness Eye Center), Lagos University Teaching Hospital/ College of Medicine of the University of Lagos, Idi-Araba, Lagos, Nigeria
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Solebo AL, Teoh L, Rahi J. Epidemiology of blindness in children. Arch Dis Child 2017; 102:853-857. [PMID: 28465303 DOI: 10.1136/archdischild-2016-310532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 187] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2016] [Revised: 03/21/2017] [Accepted: 03/22/2017] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
An estimated 1.4 million of the world's children are blind. A blind child is more likely to live in socioeconomic deprivation, to be more frequently hospitalised during childhood and to die in childhood than a child not living with blindness. This update of a previous review on childhood visual impairment focuses on emerging therapies for children with severe visual disability (severe visual impairment and blindness or SVI/BL).For children in higher income countries, cerebral visual impairment and optic nerve anomalies remain the most common causes of SVI/BL, while retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) and cataract are now the most common avoidable causes. The constellation of causes of childhood blindness in lower income settings is shifting from infective and nutritional corneal opacities and congenital anomalies to more resemble the patterns seen in higher income settings. Improvements in maternal and neonatal health and investment in and maintenance of national ophthalmic care infrastructure are the key to reducing the burden of avoidable blindness. New therapeutic targets are emerging for childhood visual disorders, although the safety and efficacy of novel therapies for diseases such as ROP or retinal dystrophies are not yet clear. Population-based epidemiological research, particularly on cerebral visual impairment and optic nerve hypoplasia, is needed in order to improve understanding of risk factors and to inform and support the development of novel therapies for disorders currently considered 'untreatable'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ameenat Lola Solebo
- Lifecourse Epidemiology and Biostatistics Section, Population, Policy and Practice Programme, Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK.,Great Ormond Street Hospital/Institute of Child Heath, NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, London, UK.,Visual function and integrative epidemiology, Moorfields Eye Hospital and Institute of Ophthalmology NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, London, UK.,Ulverscroft Vision Research Group, London, UK
| | - Lucinda Teoh
- Lifecourse Epidemiology and Biostatistics Section, Population, Policy and Practice Programme, Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Jugnoo Rahi
- Lifecourse Epidemiology and Biostatistics Section, Population, Policy and Practice Programme, Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK.,Ulverscroft Vision Research Group, London, UK.,Great Ormond Street Hospital/Institute of Child Heath, NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, London, UK.,Visual function and integrative epidemiology, Moorfields Eye Hospital and Institute of Ophthalmology NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, London, UK
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Vinluan ML, Olveda RM, Olveda DU, Chy D, Ross AG. Access to essential paediatric eye surgery in the developing world: a case of congenital cataracts left untreated. BMJ Case Rep 2015; 2015:bcr-2014-208197. [PMID: 25903202 DOI: 10.1136/bcr-2014-208197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Childhood cataracts are a major cause of treatable blindness. Early recognition, surgical intervention and appropriate follow-up after surgery can result in good visual outcomes. However, several factors may impact on the availability of such services, including lack of an available, affordable and accessible comprehensive eye care centre, financial limitations affecting coverage by the national healthcare provider, and household socioeconomic status. We report a case of congenital cataracts in a 12-year-old male adolescent from Northern Samar, the Philippines, who was left blind since birth. This case highlights the disparities in essential health services in the developing world and the challenges patients face in getting the care they need.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marilyn L Vinluan
- Department of Health, Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, Manila, Philippines
| | - Remigio M Olveda
- Department of Health, Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, Manila, Philippines
| | - David U Olveda
- Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Queensland, Australia
| | - Delia Chy
- Department of Health, Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, Manila, Philippines
| | - Allen G Ross
- Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Queensland, Australia
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AbdulRahman AA, Rabiu MM, Alhassan MB. Knowledge and practice of primary eye care among primary healthcare workers in northern Nigeria. Trop Med Int Health 2015; 20:766-72. [PMID: 25708905 DOI: 10.1111/tmi.12486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To assess knowledge and practice of primary eye care among primary healthcare workers known as community health extension workers in Funtua district of Nigeria. METHODS Cross-sectional mixed method study among health workers employed in government-owned primary healthcare facilities. Quantitative data were obtained using self-administered questionnaires and checklists, while qualitative data by modified Delphi technique, role plays and observation. A score of 1 was given for each correct answer, while a total score of ≥60% was considered 'good'. RESULTS Eighty three of 88 health workers participated (94%) in the questionnaire survey; while 16 of them were selected for the qualitative survey. Good scores regarding the knowledge of common eye diseases were obtained by 68.7%, but only 26.4% of them could identify their most important features. Participants could undertake 3 of 5 steps in visual acuity testing. Skills in recognising common eye diseases and their management were weak; while practice was often not according to the guidelines. CONCLUSION Community health extension workers displayed good knowledge of common eye diseases. Areas of weakness are recognition and interpretation of eye signs, and practice rarely follows the guidelines. Preventive medicine was neglected; community health extension workers require practical retraining and supervision to achieve integration of primary eye care into primary healthcare services.
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Kalua K, Nyirenda M, Lewallen S, Courtright P. Three-year follow up of primary health care workers trained in identification of blind and visual impaired children in Malawi. Health (London) 2013. [DOI: 10.4236/health.2013.511241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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