Status of Vision and Eye Care Among Patients in Rehabilitation Hospital Units: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Objectives: The prevalence of vision disorders is high among geriatric and hospital inpatient populations, yet they often go undetected, resulting in consequences such as falls or prolonged recovery time. A needs assessment study was conducted to investigate levels of vision and the potential prevalence of unmanaged/undiagnosed ocular disorders among adult inpatients in a hospital-based rehabilitation unit.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Setting & participants: Inpatient rehabilitation units of an acute care hospital system in Ontario, Canada. Adults (n = 112) in a hospital inpatient rehabilitation unit participated from October 2018 to February 2019.

Methods: Participants were surveyed regarding their demographic, ocular, and medical data and spectacle wear. Visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, visual fields, and stereoacuity plus the spectacle condition were directly assessed.

Results: The majority (75%) were found to have reduced habitual vision while in hospital. Nearly 60% of participants reported at least some difficulty reading a newspaper or distinguishing a face or were "not happy with their vision." This was despite 80% of participants reporting that they had an eye care practitioner and 70% that they had an eye examination within the last 2 years. More than half (51.8%) of the participants received the recommendation to follow up with their eye care practitioner on discharge from the hospital.

Conclusions and implications: Reduced vision and vision disorders has a high prevalence among hospital patients in rehabilitation units and should be evaluated at or soon after hospital intake. By incorporating vision screening tools, necessary precautions may be taken to avoid possible falls and promote recovery.

Keywords: Vision; contrast sensitivity; eye care; hospital inpatients; hospital rehabilitation; reduced vision; vision screening; visual acuity; visual fields.