Nur Adnin Razali, CLINICAL PROFILE OF PATIENTS ATTENDING LOW VISION CLINIC IN HOSPITAL-BASED MALAYSIA

CLINICAL PROFILE OF PATIENTS ATTENDING LOW VISION CLINIC IN HOSPITAL-BASED MALAYSIA RAZALI NUR ADNIN1*, ABDUL GHANI MUHAMMAD IHSAN2 , MOHAMAD NOOR SURIANI3 , SIDID OMAR MOHD AFIRU4 1 HOSPITAL SULTAN HAJI AHMAD SHAH TEMERLOH 2 HOSPITAL KEPALA BATAS 3 HOSPITAL SULTANAH BAHIYAH ALOR SETAR 4 HOSPITAL SULTANAH NUR ZAHIRAH KUALA TERENGGANU Low vision service was established in Malaysian public hospitals in 1986 and gradually expanded. As in 2023, there are 70 hospitals offer low vision service. To date, limited study has been conducted to review the characteristics of patients attending this clinic in Malaysia. This study aims to review the causes of low vision and rehabilitation services that have been offered at low vision clinic. • Study design: Retrospective crosssectional study • Study period: Jan 2021 until December 2022 • Subject: all new patient attending low vision clinics at public hospital (n=534) • Inclusion criteria : All completed data • Data collection: Data was derived from Low Vision Registry. Each patient was represented by an unique code to protect name and their identities. • Data Analysis: Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test RESULTS • 67% of patient were in the working age group (less than 50 years old) and this is in agreement with previous studies reported in Malaysia1,2 . In contrast different result reported in Australia3 . • Primary causes in our study showed combination of hereditary and age-related disease, similar with studies conducted in Thailand and Australia. However, proportion of ARMD is lower compare to those reported in the studies3,4 . • Median presenting vision, rate of referral to occupational therapist and numbers of patients prescribes with low vision devices are lower compare to study reported in previous studies1,3 . Possible reason are different study population and lack of awareness among health care practitioner. • Limitation of this study is some data may possible interpret inaccurately as this is secondary data analysis. Retinal diseases, glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy were the most common causes of low vision and prescribing low vision aids as well as referral to other professionals was part of the services that have been offered in low vision clinics. This data provide an input for further development of national policies for lowvision patients. 1. Omar et.al. The Causes of Low Vision and Pattern of prescribing at UKM Low Vision Clinic. Jurnal Sains Kesihatan Malaysia. 2008. 6(2): 55-64 2. Mohidin, N and Yusoff,S. Profile of a Low Vision Clinic Population. Clinical and Experimental Optometry. 1998. September-October 3. Chong, MA et al. An Update on the Characteristics of Patients Attending the Kooyong Low Vision Clinic. Clinical and Experimental Optometry. 2016. 99: 555-558 4. Chotikavanich S, Chanvarapha N, Loket S, et al, A 5-year retrospective record review of hospital-based low-vision rehabilitation in Thailand. Clinical Optometry 2018. 10:41-50 INTRODUCTION DISCUSSION CONCLUSION ACKNOWLEDGEMENT All optometrist in Ministry of Health for their provision especially entering data in Low Vision Registry METHODOLOGY REFERENCES 31 Median Presenting Vision (logMAR) Median Best corrected Visual Acuity (logMAR) P value 1.00 (0.78) 0.90 (0.70) p= 0.001 Types of low vision aids n (%) Spectacles 14 (2.6) Optical aids (188, 35.2%) High reading Addition 47 (8.8) Hand Magnifier 69 (12.9) Stand magnifier 32 (6.0) Telescope 40 (7.5) Electronic devices (154, 28.8%) Electronic devices 99 (18.5) Apps in phone 55 (10.3) Referral to other agencies Number (%) Social Welfare 218 (40.8) Occupational Therapist 97 (18.2) NGO 56 (10.5) PERKESO 11 (2.1) 0 20 40 ARMD Corneal disease Diabetic… Glaucoma Macular disease Neurological… Nystagmus Optic nerve… Retinal disease Others Retinitis Pigmentosa 49% Retinal Detachment 14% Retinopathy of prematurity 4% Others 33% Fig 1: Age and gender distribution Fig 2: Primary cause (%) of vision impairment Fig 3: Distribution of causes in retinal disease Table 1: Median Presenting Vision and Best corrected Visual Acuity Table 2: Referral to other agencies Table 3: Prescribed Low vision aids