A qualitative analysis of reading rehabilitation of persons with age-related macular degeneration

摘要: One of the most prevalent visual impairments people aged 60 and older is age-related macular degeneration (AMD), which ranks third globally as a cause impairment (World Health Organization, 2006). With AMD, central vision lost some peripheral remains, causing difficulties with fine tasks such reading mobility, results in reduced satisfaction quality life (Mackenzie et al., 2002) anxiety depression (Brown, Brown, Sharma, Busbee, & 2001). Magnification devices can help to improve performance persons but errors occur when reader misses ends or beginnings words even entire lines text (Watson, Baldasare, Whittaker, 1990). Eccentric viewing be used regain former abilities (Fletcher, Schuchard, Watson, 1999) by training AMD use preferred retinal locus (Schuchard Fletcher, 1994). An improvement skills may these adjust their loss (Trudeau, Overbury, Conrod, Qualitative assessment limited research, particularly research on AMD. Wong, Guymer, Hassell, Keeffe (2004) reported how made sense experiences. The purpose study presented here was extend Wong al.'s findings conduct tentative subjective eccentric We recruited registered bilateral who had low from Low Vision Clinic where they received instruction magnification devices; all lived London, England. In comparison, acuities 15 participants al. ranged unilateral acuity greater than 6/60 (20/200) better-seeing eye. Eleven lowest magnifiers, techniques for living independently, social interaction groups, half resided rural areas. METHOD Participants Seven no other ocular disability were through at Moorfields Eye Hospital Their 6/18 (20/60) 6/76 (20/250) better All London 62-83 (see Table 1 participants' characteristics). Reading rehabilitation one hour's page navigation magnifier using method called "steady eye," whereby optimally enlarged over own loci (Collins Davis, 1999). They completed an additional 0-8 hours practice home Wright Watson's (1995) Learn Use Your manual, chosen its variety exercises texts ranging 3M 0.8M, recorded log time it took them complete exercises, difficulty any comments. Procedure Forty-minute interviews conducted researcher (the first author) before after instruction, interpretative phenomenological analysis (Smith, 1996) aimed capturing experiences while acknowledging role researcher's processes. project approved Research Ethics Committee. provided informed consent prior participation. Interview schedule Initial questions identity, coping, support adapted Smith Osborn's (2003) guide qualitative giving opportunity describe Further developed explore psychosocial impact (Borglin, Edberg, Hallberg, 2004; Williams, Brody, Thomas, Kaplan, 1998), whether affected relationships family members friends, usefulness existing magnifiers. …