Social inclusion for visually impaired: experience and results from Assis

PURPOSES: To establish the visually impaired resource class users profile in the city of Assis - SP, to estimate the visually impaired employment percentage and to compare employment rate with age, gender, deficiency type and causing disease between two periods:1984 - 1996 and 1997 - 2009. METHODS: Retrospective review of both medical and school records from visually impaired individuals attending visually impaired resource class in Assis - SP between 1984 and 2009. This time period was divided into two intervals: 1984 - 1996 (G1) and 1997 - 2009 (G2). Collected data included demographic features and diseases, type of visual impairment (blindness or low vision), education, optic aids, attendance to visually impaired resource class and employment rate. Employment rate was associated with age, gender, type of visual impaiment and causing disease between both study time intervals. RESULTS: A total of 149 visually impaired individuals were identified - 61.07% male, 38.9% female, 82.5% white, and 17.4% non-white. Mean age was 18 years. Of the 149 visually impaired, 63.75% had low vision and 36.24% were blind. In decreasing order, the more frequent conditions leading to visual impairment were toxoplasmosis retinochoroiditis (17.40%), congenital optic atrophy (9.39%), high hyperopia (8.72%), pigmentary retinosis and high myopia (with 6.71% each) and congenital glaucoma and congenital cataract (with 6.04% each). Attendance to visually impaired resource class was good by over 50% of the patients. Of the individuals >14 years-old, 44.7% and 12.3% were regularly employed during 1984 - 1996 and 1997 - 2009 periods, respectively. Employment rate only correlated with age (individuals with higher mean age were most frequently employed) and there was not correlation with demographic characteristics, deficiency type and causing diseases. CONCLUSIONS: The main characteristics of the individuals attending the visually impaired resource class are: male, white, with low vision and ocular toxoplasmosis. Nearly half of the individuals older than 14 years-old (44.7%) were regularly employed up to 1996, suggesting that the joint effort of ophthalmologists and teachers helps the social inclusion of these patients. Employment rate dropped over 1997 - 2009 period, and the rate of retirees increased.OBJETIVOS: Traçar o perfil do usuário da Sala de Recursos para Deficiente Visual na cidade de Assis - SP, avaliar a porcentagem de deficientes visuais empregados e comparar o emprego com idade, gênero, tipo de deficiência e doença causadora da deficiência, entre dois períodos: de 1984 a 1996 e de 1997 a 2009. MÉTODOS: Foi realizado estudo retrospectivo dos prontuários médicos e da ficha escolar dos portadores de deficiência visual que frequentaram a Sala de Recursos para Deficiente Visual, no período de 1984 a 2009 na cidade de Assis - SP, divididos em dois períodos de 1984 a 1996 (G1) e de 1997 a 2009 (G2). Analisaram-se dados demográficos, a doença que provocou a baixa visão, o tipo de deficiência visual (cegueira ou baixa visão), escolaridade, recursos ópticos, frequência à Sala de Recursos para Deficiente Visual e taxa de emprego. Foi feita associação da taxa de emprego com: idade, gênero, raça/cor, tipo de deficiência e doença nos dois diferentes períodos. RESULTADOS: Foram encontrados 149 deficientes visuais sendo: 61,07% homens, 38,9% mulheres, 82,5% brancos e 17,4% não brancos e a mediana da idade foi de 18 anos. Dos 149 deficientes visuais, 63,75% eram portadores de baixa visão e 36,24% portadores de cegueira. As principais doenças que levaram à deficiência visual dos 149 pacientes foram em ordem decrescente: retinocoroidite por toxoplasmose (17,40%), atrofia óptica congênita (12,10%), alta hipermetropia (8,72%), retinose pigmentar e alta miopia (6,71% cada uma) e glaucoma congênito e catarata congênita (6,04% cada uma). A frequência à Sala de Recursos para Deficiente Visual foi boa em mais de 50% dos pacientes. Estavam trabalhando regularmente 44,7% e 12,3% dos maiores de 14 anos respectivamente nos períodos de 1984 - 1996 e de 1997 - 2009. Não houve diferença entre os dois períodos quanto às características demográficas, tipo de deficiência e doenças, havendo correlação da taxa de emprego apenas com a idade (pacientes com média de idade maior apresentavam maior porcentagem de emprego). CONCLUSÕES: Os deficientes visuais eram na maioria homens, brancos, portadores de baixa visão e portadores de toxoplasmose ocular. Quase metade (44,7%) dos pacientes com mais de 14 anos encontrava-se trabalhando regularmente até 1996 sugerindo que esforços conjuntos de oftalmologistas e educadores auxilia na inclusão social destes pacientes. A taxa de emprego caiu no período de 1997 a 2009 e a de aposentados aumentou.UNESP Faculdade de Medicina de Botucatu Departamento de Oftalmologia, Otorrinolaringologia e Cirurgia de Cabeça e PescoçoUniversidade Estadual de CampinasUniversidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) Departamento de OftalmologiaUniversidade de Santo AmaroInstituto de Oftalmologia de AssisUNIFESP, Depto. de OftalmologiaSciEL

Alterações clínicas e morfológicas das córneas de coelhos implantadas com anéis intraestromais de FERRARA® com e sem revestimento de condrointin sulfato

Avaliar e comparar córneas de coelhos com implante de anel de FERRARA® com e sem revestimento de condroitin sulfato quanto à presença de hiperemia, secreção conjuntival, edema de córnea, vascularização corneana e extrusão do anel intraestromal e espessuras central e temporal da córnea. Pelo estudo histopatológico avaliar e comparar entre os dois grupos o número de camadas de células epiteliais sobre o anel, presença de alterações histopatológicas no estroma corneano, membrana de Descemet e endotélio. Foram estudados 30 coelhos albinos da raça Norfolk divididos em 2 grupos experimentais cada qual formado por 15 coelhos em cujas córneas do olho direito foram implantados o anel de FERRARA® clássico (G1) e anel de FERRARA® revestido por condroitin sulfato (G2). Os olhos esquerdos formaram o grupo controle. Em todos os grupos foram avaliados parâmetros clínicos: paquimetria central e temporal, hiperemia conjuntival, secreção, edema de córnea, vascularização e extrusão do anel. Foram também avaliados parâmetros morfológicos: número de camadas do epitélio, o estroma corneano, a membrana de Descemet e o endotélio. Os parâmetros clínicos foram avaliados em 3 M1 (1º dia pós-operatório), M2 (30º dia pós-operatório e M3 (60º dia pósoperatório). Os parâmetros morfológicos foram analisados no M3. As alterações encontradas foram descritas e comparadas através dos testes t de Student, Mann- Whitney, Wilcoxon para amostras independentes; Teste exato de Fisher, Teste Qui-quadrado, Teste de McNemar para amostras dependentes, conforme o parâmetro. Quanto à espessura central da córnea ocorreu um aumento estatísticamente significante entre os momentos antes e após a implantação nos dois grupos e aumento na espessura temporal apenas no G1. Os demais parâmetros clínicos não...To evaluate and compare rabbit corneas with chondroitin-sulfatecoated and uncoated Ferrara ring implants as regards the presence of hyperemia, conjunctival secretion, corneal edema, corneal vascularization and extrusion of the intrastromal ring as well as central and temporal corneal thickness. To evaluate and compare the number of epithelial cell layers on the ring and the presence of histopathological alterations in the corneal stroma, Descemet’s membrane and endothelium between the two groups by means of a histopathological investigation. Thirty albinal Norfolk rabbits were studied in 2 experimental groups. Each group comprised 15 rabbits whose right-eye cornea received a classic Ferrara ring implant in group 1 (G1) and a Ferrara ring coated by chondroitin sulfate in Group 2 (G2). Their left eyes formed the control group. The following clinical parameters were evaluated in all groups: central and temporal pachymetry, conjunctival hyperemia, secretion, corneal edema, vascularization and ring extrusion. Morphological parameters were also evaluated as follows: number of epithelial layers, corneal stroma, Descemet’s membrane and endothelium. The clinical parameters were evaluated at 3 moments: M1 (first post-operative day), M2 (30th post-operative day) and M3 (60th post-operative day). The morphological parameters were analyzed at M3. The alterations found were described and compared by Student’s t, Mann- Whitney’s and Wilcoxon’s tests for independent samples and by Fisher’s exact, Chi-Square and McNemar’s tests for dependent samples, according to the different parameters. As regards central corneal thickness, a statistically significant increase was found between the moments prior to and after implantation in the two groups. Temporal thickness increase was observed only in G1.The other clinical parameters showed no significant ...(Complete abstract, click electronic access below)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES

Visual outcomes and pacient satisfaction follwing implantation of a supplementary multifocal IOL in patients undergoing cataract surgery

Purpose: To assess visual outcomes and patient satisfaction following implantation of the Sulcoflex® multifocal intraocular lens (IOL; Rayner Intraocular Lenses Ltd., Hove, UK) in a procedure combining capsular bag lens implantation with sulcus placement of the Sulcoflex® IOL. Setting: Instituto de Oftalmologia de Assis, Assis, SP, Brazil. Methods: Cataract patients > 45 years, with hyperopia ≥ 1.50 D and potential acuity measurement ≥ 20/30 undergoing Sulcoflex® multifocal IOL implantation were included. Monocular and binocular uncorrected near and distance visual acuity (VA) were evaluated at five days, one month, and three months postoperatively. Contrast sensitivity and refraction were measured in a subset of patients three months postoperatively. Patient satisfaction was assessed one month postoperative. Results: This non-consecutive case series comprised 25 eyes of 13 patients. Eleven eyes (52%) had pre-existing retinal pathologies. Monocular distance VA improved significantly at all follow-up visits. At final follow-up, 88% of eyes had monocular uncorrected distance VA (UDVA) of at least 20/25 and 24% had monocular UDVA of 20/20. All eyes had binocular UDVA of at least 20/25, and 58% had binocular UDVA of 20/20. Monocular uncorrected near vision (UNVA) was J1 in 68% of eyes and all patients had binocular UNVA of J1. Of all eyes studied, 92% and 58% achieved a spherical equivalent within 1 D and −0.5 D, respectively. The majority of patients reported satisfaction with visual outcomes. Complications included a postoperative intraocular pressure spike in four eyes. Conclusion: The Sulcoflex® multifocal IOL improves near and distance VA in cataract patients with retinal abnormalities and good VA potential