Clinicodemographic Profile of Visual Disability Among Applicants for Disability Certification in South India
Nivedha Venkataraghavan,1 Rajesh R Nayak,1 Teena Mariet Mendonca,1 Anitha Kiran,2 Soumya Padenkilmar Devendra,2 Ajay R Kamath,1 Gurudutt Kamath,1 Gladys Rodrigues1 1Department of Ophthalmology, Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India; 2Senior Speciali...
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Dove Medical Press
2025-02-01
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| author | Venkataraghavan N Nayak RR Mendonca TM Kiran A Padenkilmar Devendra S Kamath AR Kamath G Rodrigues G |
| author_facet | Venkataraghavan N Nayak RR Mendonca TM Kiran A Padenkilmar Devendra S Kamath AR Kamath G Rodrigues G |
| author_sort | Venkataraghavan N |
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| description | Nivedha Venkataraghavan,1 Rajesh R Nayak,1 Teena Mariet Mendonca,1 Anitha Kiran,2 Soumya Padenkilmar Devendra,2 Ajay R Kamath,1 Gurudutt Kamath,1 Gladys Rodrigues1 1Department of Ophthalmology, Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India; 2Senior Specialist, Department of Ophthalmology, Government Wenlock Hospital, Mangalore, IndiaCorrespondence: Teena Mariet Mendonca, Department of Ophthalmology, Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India, Tel +91 9461495479, Email tmendonca87@gmail.com; teena.mendonca@manipal.eduPurpose: To study the causes of visual disability and clinico-demographic factors among applicants for disability certification in a tertiary care hospital in Karnataka.Methods: A prospective, cross‑sectional study analyzing the applications of 194 people who applied for disability certificates between May 2022 and September 2023 at a tertiary care hospital in Karnataka. The causes of visual impairment/blindness, percentage of disability, and respective sociodemographic factors, such as age and sex, were analyzed. The analysis was performed following the visual impairment (VI) disability categories and percentages proposed by the Government of India.Results: A total of 194 applications for disability certificates were analyzed, of which 60.8% (118) were males and 39.2% (76) were females. Most of the applications were from the 35– 60 years age group (41.2%), followed by the 18 (26.8%), 60+ (17.5%), and 18– 35 years age groups (14.4%). When the specific diagnostic causes of visual impairment and blindness were analyzed, the leading cause was retinitis pigmentosa (18.5%), followed by optic atrophy (11.8%), corneal opacities (9.79%), and pathological myopia (6.7%). Almost one-third of the cases (28.9%) were found to have been preventable causes of VI/blindness. Among these patients, most avoidable cases were under 18 years of age (40.4%). More than half of the applicants were categorized as blind (59.3%), followed by 21.1% with moderate VI, 13.4% with mild VI, and 6.2% with severe VI.Conclusion: This study highlights various causes and associated demographic factors of visual impairment and blindness among applicants for disability certificates. Analysis of the applications for visual disability certification proves useful in obtaining data on the burden of visual impairment on the healthcare system. Although the specific findings are more local in scope, these data provide insight into changing trends in eye disease and can be used to better plan and implement local- and national-level intervention strategies.Keywords: visual disability, visual impairment, avoidable blindness, disability certification |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-38d98e46b2ce4a668b02530cac9b9f68 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1177-5483 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
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| series | Clinical Ophthalmology |
| spelling | doaj-art-38d98e46b2ce4a668b02530cac9b9f682025-08-20T02:15:19ZengDove Medical PressClinical Ophthalmology1177-54832025-02-01Volume 19641651100443Clinicodemographic Profile of Visual Disability Among Applicants for Disability Certification in South IndiaVenkataraghavan NNayak RRMendonca TMKiran APadenkilmar Devendra SKamath ARKamath GRodrigues GNivedha Venkataraghavan,1 Rajesh R Nayak,1 Teena Mariet Mendonca,1 Anitha Kiran,2 Soumya Padenkilmar Devendra,2 Ajay R Kamath,1 Gurudutt Kamath,1 Gladys Rodrigues1 1Department of Ophthalmology, Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India; 2Senior Specialist, Department of Ophthalmology, Government Wenlock Hospital, Mangalore, IndiaCorrespondence: Teena Mariet Mendonca, Department of Ophthalmology, Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India, Tel +91 9461495479, Email tmendonca87@gmail.com; teena.mendonca@manipal.eduPurpose: To study the causes of visual disability and clinico-demographic factors among applicants for disability certification in a tertiary care hospital in Karnataka.Methods: A prospective, cross‑sectional study analyzing the applications of 194 people who applied for disability certificates between May 2022 and September 2023 at a tertiary care hospital in Karnataka. The causes of visual impairment/blindness, percentage of disability, and respective sociodemographic factors, such as age and sex, were analyzed. The analysis was performed following the visual impairment (VI) disability categories and percentages proposed by the Government of India.Results: A total of 194 applications for disability certificates were analyzed, of which 60.8% (118) were males and 39.2% (76) were females. Most of the applications were from the 35– 60 years age group (41.2%), followed by the 18 (26.8%), 60+ (17.5%), and 18– 35 years age groups (14.4%). When the specific diagnostic causes of visual impairment and blindness were analyzed, the leading cause was retinitis pigmentosa (18.5%), followed by optic atrophy (11.8%), corneal opacities (9.79%), and pathological myopia (6.7%). Almost one-third of the cases (28.9%) were found to have been preventable causes of VI/blindness. Among these patients, most avoidable cases were under 18 years of age (40.4%). More than half of the applicants were categorized as blind (59.3%), followed by 21.1% with moderate VI, 13.4% with mild VI, and 6.2% with severe VI.Conclusion: This study highlights various causes and associated demographic factors of visual impairment and blindness among applicants for disability certificates. Analysis of the applications for visual disability certification proves useful in obtaining data on the burden of visual impairment on the healthcare system. Although the specific findings are more local in scope, these data provide insight into changing trends in eye disease and can be used to better plan and implement local- and national-level intervention strategies.Keywords: visual disability, visual impairment, avoidable blindness, disability certificationhttps://www.dovepress.com/clinicodemographic-profile-of-visual-disability-among-applicants-for-d-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-OPTHvisual disabilityvisual impairmentavoidable blindnessdisability certification |
| spellingShingle | Venkataraghavan N Nayak RR Mendonca TM Kiran A Padenkilmar Devendra S Kamath AR Kamath G Rodrigues G Clinicodemographic Profile of Visual Disability Among Applicants for Disability Certification in South India Clinical Ophthalmology visual disability visual impairment avoidable blindness disability certification |
| title | Clinicodemographic Profile of Visual Disability Among Applicants for Disability Certification in South India |
| title_full | Clinicodemographic Profile of Visual Disability Among Applicants for Disability Certification in South India |
| title_fullStr | Clinicodemographic Profile of Visual Disability Among Applicants for Disability Certification in South India |
| title_full_unstemmed | Clinicodemographic Profile of Visual Disability Among Applicants for Disability Certification in South India |
| title_short | Clinicodemographic Profile of Visual Disability Among Applicants for Disability Certification in South India |
| title_sort | clinicodemographic profile of visual disability among applicants for disability certification in south india |
| topic | visual disability visual impairment avoidable blindness disability certification |
| url | https://www.dovepress.com/clinicodemographic-profile-of-visual-disability-among-applicants-for-d-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-OPTH |
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