Visual impairment in the hearing impaired students.
BACKGROUND
Ocular problems are more common in children with hearing problems than in normal children. Neglected visual impairment could aggravate educational and social disability.


OBJECTIVE
To detect and treat visual impairment, if any, in hearing-impaired children.


METHODS
Observational, clinical case series of hearing-impaired children in schools providing special education.


METHODS
Hearing-impaired children in selected schools underwent detailed visual acuity testing, refraction, external ocular examination and fundoscopy. Ocular motility testing was also performed. Teachers were sensitized and trained to help in the assessment of visual acuity using Snellen's E charts. Refractive errors and squint were treated as per standard practice.


METHODS
Excel software was used for data entry and SSPS for analysis.


RESULTS
The study involved 901 hearing-impaired students between four and 21 years of age, from 14 special education schools. A quarter of them (216/901, 24%) had ocular problems. Refractive errors were the most common morbidity 167(18.5%), but only 10 children were using appropriate spectacle correction at presentation. Fifty children had visual acuity less than 20/80 at presentation; after providing refractive correction, this number reduced to three children, all of whom were provided low-vision aids. Other common conditions included strabismus in 12 (1.3%) children, and retinal pigmentary dystrophy in five (0.6%) children.


CONCLUSIONS
Ocular problems are common in hearing-impaired children. Screening for ocular problems should be made mandatory in hearing-impaired children, as they use their visual sense to compensate for the poor auditory sense.
Department of Community Eye Care and Pediatric Ophthalmology, H.V. Desai Eye Hospital, Pune, India. parikshitgogate@hotmail.com
Parikshit
P
Gogate
Nikhil
N
Rishikeshi
Reshma
R
Mehata
Satish
S
Ranade
Jitesh
J
Kharat
Madan
M
Deshpande
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D019986:Persons with Hearing Disabilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015995:Prevalence; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015354:Vision, Low / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D019987:Persons with Visual Disabilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult