Correctable visual impairment in stroke rehabilitation patients.

BACKGROUND

after stroke, visual impairment may exacerbate the impact of other impairments on overall disability and negatively influence rehabilitation.

OBJECTIVE

to examine the visual status of patients after stroke and determine whether this can be improved by simple interventions.

DESIGN

prospective study.

SETTINGS: stroke rehabilitation unit in a Belfast teaching hospital.

SUBJECTS: 77 consecutive patients admitted for rehabilitation after acute stroke.

METHODS

full optometric and ophthalmic assessment within 2 weeks of admission.

RESULTS

of 70 patients with glasses, 19 did not have their glasses in hospital before prompting and 18 had glasses in unacceptable condition. Twenty patients had impaired visual acuity (6/12 or worse) with existing glasses (if helpful); 11 of these improved to better than 6/12 with refractive correction.

CONCLUSIONS

stroke professionals need to enquire about patients' spectacles and assess their condition. Patients with reduced visual acuity in the absence of significant non-refractive disease should be referred to an optometrist: in this series 14% of patients had visual impairment which benefited from refractive correction.