Impact of Eccentric Viewing Training on the Visual Functions and on the Quality of Life of Children with Progressive Retinal Dystrophies: A case report Asmaa Qaddumi, Nathalie Bussieres (Supervisor) Optometry Department, Faculty of Medicine and Heath Science, An-Najah National University, Nablus Palestine (A Qaddumi MSc) Vision Rehabilitation, German Jordanian University, Amman, Jordan (N Bussieres PHD) Correspondence to: Asmaa Qaddumi, Optometry Department, Faculty of Medicine and Heath Science, An-Najah National University, Nablus,West Bank, occupied Palestinian Territory [email protected] Abstract Background: One of the main causes of low vision in children in the Middle East is retinal dystrophies. Individuals with central retinal dystrophies progressively lose the ability to distinguish fine details (reading, face recognition and visual search) causing difficulties in everyday tasks. They tend to use other parts of the retina for seeing and need professional help to find the best retinal area to compensate for their central field loss. This study aims at assessing an intervention to improve visual efficacy among children with central scotoma (partial alteration in the vision field with diminished or entirely degenerated visual acuity) by 1) helping them find the best retinal area to use for better vision, 2) providing them with magnification tools and 3) training them to use the best retinal area with magnification to improve their vision. Methods: Based on our inclusion criteria, five Palestinian students with progressive retinal dystrophy between 14 and 16 years old were recruited from the Royal Academy School for the Blind in Jordan and representing all students with central scotoma. First, their quality of life was assessed using the internationally validated Functional Vision Questionnaire for Children and Young People with Visual Impairment (FVQ_CYP 36); then their distance visual acuitywas assessed usingLEA Symbols Chart for Vision Rehabilitation;near visual acuity was assessed using LEA Symbols Near Vision Card; and reading acuity was assessed using Come Closer Test (Arabic version). To find participants’ ‘best retinal area’, the best retinal area test was used. Afterwards, a 15-19 training sessions were conducted with participants for different near and far vision tasks for 3 weeks. Then Visual functions and quality of life were assessed again one month after training. Results from the questionnaires and visual assessments were analyzed using the T-test to calculate the p-values, which were set at the p<0.05 significance level. Microsoft Excel 7 was used in analysis. Results: The results show that all students were able to find an area in their retina which is better than the one they used previously. The average pre-training visual acuity for near vision was 0.05 ± 0.04 contrasted to 0.10 ± 0.07 following the training (p=0.07) which was not a significant difference; and for far vision 0.04 ± 0.04 pre-training and 0.09 ± 0.05 post-training (p <0.05). The subjects did not, however, want to use the +10.00 to +28 magnifying spectacles and hand magnifiers that were offered to them as their vision level using the spectacles and hand magnifiers before the training was the same as their vision after training without magnifiers. When assessing the impact of the training on the participants quality of life the scores showed a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in the perception of difficulties from 50.6 ± 7.6 pre-training to 29.2 ± 7.2 post-training. Interpretation: The used intervention improved participants’ vision and quality of life. This suggests that this intervention should be disseminated in vision rehabilitation centers. Funding: None Contributors: AQ conducted data collection and analysis and writing the abstract, NB was the supervisor Declaration of interest: We declare no conflict of interest

Conference Title

The 4th annual Jordanian Palestinian Optometry Conference

Conference Country

Jordan

Conference Date

March 14, 2018 - March 15, 2018

Conference Sponsor

نقابتي اختصاصيي البصريات في الاردن وفلسطين