SOC IALDEMOGRAPHIC AN D CLINICAL ASPECTS OF LOW VISION AMONGST ADULT POPULATION

Low vision in adult population has a multicausal etiology, it interferes with the normal course and quality of living and adaptation in society of people with low vision, and that is why it represents not only a medical, but a social problem. The study was performed with the aim to understand the meaning of social and clinical characteristics of the appearance, evolution and course of low vision among the adults with ophthalmological diseases. The research includes 292 adults with low vision from many urban and rural areas, registered in the associations of people with low vision and blindness in RM with glaucoma, refraction anomalies, diabetic and pigment retinopathy and cataracta. The analysis of the social-demographic parameters of gender, age, place of living, marital status, working status, housing conditions, number of family members, doctor accessibility, type of treatment indicates that there are no significant differences in these parameters between males and females. People over 60 years of age are mostly prone to low vision, which does not represent a decisive handicap for socialisation compared to people with preserved vision, except in the areas of employment and livelihood provision. Glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, cataracta, refraction anomalies and pigment retinopathy in our research represent the most common ophthalmological diseases which evolve into the most severe form of low vision. The period from diagnosis to the status of severe low vision is variable, long-lasting and in most cases is 15-20 years, which gives the opportunity for a successful prevention of blindness, with a timely diagnosis and treatment of these diseases. Acta Medica Medianae 2017;56(3):17-24.