Purpose: To clarify the usability of remote support service for persons with visual impairment and the feasibility of the nation-wide field survey.
Participants and methods: A total of 100 persons (mean: 61.2 years old) with visual impairment in 11 prefectures in Japan participated in this study. The participants underwent simple vision tests, questionnaire-based field survey, and remote consultation by an ophthalmologist and a specialist of vision support welfare. The topics of the consultation were recorded. Further, the usability of our system was evaluated.
Results: The mean total score of the daily living task dependent on vision was 60.3, and the mean subscale scores of the 25-Item National Eye Institute Visual Functioning Questionnaire were as follows: general health, 47.5; general vision, 36.3; ocular pain, 63.9; near activities, 34.8; distance activities, 46.3; social functioning, 48.7; mental health, 26.9; roll difficulties, 52.1; independency, 43.3; color vision, 72.2; and peripheral vision, 20.8. The top five topics in the consultation sessions were personal computer usage (including IT devices) (84%), ophthalmological vision support (71%), services of welfare (71%), orientation and mobility (62%), and optical visual aids (59%). Eighty-six participants reported that they did not feel anxious or uncomfortable. While 79 found the medical consultations useful, 75 found the welfare consultations useful.
Conclusions: This study demonstrated that our remote consultation system has the potential to solve the following problems: unknown real situation of persons with visual impairment, the paucity of specialists of support for visual impairments, and the large regional difference.
Nippon Ganka Gakkai Zasshi (J Jpn Ophthalmol Soc) 124: 417-423, 2020.