ABSTRACT

In this study, disability reports of the Health Committee of the Hospital of the Yüzüncü Yıl University School of Medicine will be evaluated. The demographic characteristics, causes and degree of visual loss, visual system impairment rating and whole body impairment rating of the people with visual impairment will be determined.

Health committee disability reports of our hospital, between September 2006 and August 2010, were evaluated. Relevant variables of each patient were recorded and evaluated.

415 health committee reports for visual impairment were found to be prepared during the period of the study. One hundred fifty three (36,9%) of the cases were female and 262 (63.1%) were male and the mean age was 41.8±22.4 years. The most frequent causes of visual impairment were macular diseases, evisceration and phitisis, amblyopia, optic nerve diseases, degenerative myopia, acquired corneal and hereditary retinal diseases. The patients who had a disability report had a mean of 41.69±25.92% visual system impairment rating and 60,76±24,67% whole body impairment rating.

This research was planned for contributing to the epidemiologic information about visual impairment in our country. This data may serve to compute the cost of visual disability reports. The information is also expected to contribute to determine the causes and measures for the prevention of diseases and conditions leading to visual disability. (Turk J Ophthalmol 2012; 42: 131-4)