title: [Visual rehabilitation in patients with retinitis pigmentosa].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine which low-vision aids could be useful to patients with retinitis pigmentosa and also the benefits that the rehabilitation program could provide based on visual acuity and/or daily visual tasks.
  
  
  METHODS
  A group of 30 patients with retinitis pigmentosa aged from 7 to 73 years were enrolled in this study. Visual acuity and visual function tests (visual field, full-field electroretinogram) was performed and low-vision aids tested. Information about the use of the remaining vision was obtained. After choosing the best optical or electronic devices and before their prescription, a low-vision training program was carried out.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The best corrected visual acuity varied from HM (hand movements) to 20/40 for distance and visual acuity better than 16M to 0.5M for near. 90% of the patients had optical devices prescribed: 13 for near, 9 for distance, 2 electronic devices and 3 filters. Three patients with extremely narrow visual field and very low visual acuity were referred to orientation and mobility.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The low-vision aids were useful for the retinitis pigmentosa patients: telescopes, hand-held magnifiers, stand magnifiers, half-eye base-in prism lenses, electronic devices and illumination control were beneficial to enhance visual acuity and visual efficiency. The prescription of low-vision aids was helpful in daily-life activities and a high level of satisfaction with the implemented visual rehabilitation program was reported.
authors.affiliation: Setor de Visão Subnormal, Departamento de Oftalmologia, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brasil. celina@oftalmo.epm.br
authors.forename: Celina Tamaki Monteiro
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: de Castro
authors.forename: Adriana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Berezovsky
authors.forename: Danilo Dimas Monteiro
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: de Castro
authors.forename: Solange Rios
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Salomão
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D005139:Eyeglasses / Q000592:standards; D005260:Female; D006296:Health Services / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D007909:Lenses / Q000592:standards*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D011932:Reading; D012174:Retinitis Pigmentosa / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D017678:Sex Distribution; D014787:Vision Tests; D015354:Vision, Low / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology*