Authors : Ranjitha C Sadananda, Aswathi M Menon, Sujatha Rathod, Anuradha Appaji, Harish B Hanumantharayappa
DOI : 10.18231/j.ijooo.2022.010
Volume : 8
Issue : 1
Year : 2022
Page No : 46-51
Aims: To ascertain the degree and causes of visual disability, clinical and demographic data of UDID card applicants at RIO MOH Karnataka South India.
Materials and Methods: It is a cross-sectional observation study, data collected from the UDID PORTAL where applicants applied between July 2019 to March 2020. Totally 551 applicants details were collected. Degree of visual disability and its causes, demographic details like age, gender, education, marital and employment status, annual income along with that other clinical details were ascertained.
Results: Among the 551 applications, 368 were men and 183 were women highlighting a significant gender bias. Almost 2/3 of applications were in the age group 20 to 50. 60% of applicants were married. 95% of applicants were in the blind category while only 4.3% were certified as having low vision. 47% of applicants were BPL Card holders and were dependent on the family member for livelihood. 47% of the applicants had completed basic education (10 std/SSLC). Retinitis pigmentosa was the top cause of blindness.
Conclusion: Retinal pathologies constitute the leading cause among them majority had Retinitis pigmentosa. Genetic counseling plays a significant proactive role in the prevention of the disease. Creating awareness among employers to provide adequate protective equipment could help in reducing the disease burden of phthisis bulbi. Government and NGOs should prepare appropriate plans and implement them to rehabilitate individuals with visual disabilities. There is a need to create better awareness about the benefits of UDID CARDS in the community in general and among people with blindness and low vision in particular.
Keywords: UDID CARD, Visual disability, blindness, low vision, benefits, Retinitis pigmentosa.