The report of the children examination in order to get low vision aid

The report of the children examination in order to get low vision aid and request to the ophthalmologist to refer low vision children (with best corrected visual acuity of 0.3 or less) to our Department

Low vision aids are the last chance for those patient, no matter the age, whos vision cannot be corrected by glasses, contact lenses or cured by conservative or surgical treatment.

Low vision aids include telescopes of different magnification power, magnifiers (static or moveable), prism optical systems, electronic devices, etc. Indications for LVA are: macular degeneration, glaucoma, retinal dystrophies, such as retinitis pigmentosa, etc. There are 3 types of LVA: for reading, for middle distance (like computer work, playing instruments, watching TV…) and for long distance viewing. They can be used at school, for example, when a child follows regular school program. It helps a child (or an adult) to use remaining part of visual system.

LVA were prescribed for the first time in Montenegro at the department of ophthalmology of the Children’s hospital of the Clinical Centre in Podgorica on the 23th and 24th of November of 2012when Dr Vesna Jaksic, ophthalmologist who works at the Eye Clinic in Clinical Centre „Zvezdara“ in Belgrade, examined 11 children. 8 of them were candidates for LVA. All of them read A-5 (font of drug prescriptions) and significantly improved visual acuity for distant viewing, for example from 0.20 or 0.30 to 0.5 or from 0.2 or 0.3 to 0.9-1.0. Results were truly fascinating. On the 1th and 2nd of March 2013, 10 children and one young person were examined and 6 of them were candidates for LVA. Therapist as well as parents should teach children how to use LVA especially for reading because children with low vision usually have not read for years.

They have to have their regular ophthalmological examination. The Department of ophthalmology of the Children’s Hospital are willing to help them. We have had a donation of the International women club of Montenegro for the half of expenses for first 8 patients that were examined in November of 2012.

Thank you for previous cooperation and we kindly request to refer low vision patients to our department.

Dr Natasa Jovovic

Head of Department of Ophthalmology

Children’s Hospital Montenegro