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Imprensa |
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A
web-base registry for visual impairment in
childhood |
S. Veitzman1, S. R. Salomão2, C. L. Wen3
1 VIDI Institute, São Paulo, Brazil;
2 Ophthalmology, Federal University of São Paulo,
Brazil;
3 Telemedicine Section, University of São Paulo, Brazil.
BACKGROUND
Many chronic ocular diseases cause irreversible and
permanent visual impairment, affecting the quality of
life of the patients. The main objective in children
rehabilitation is to reduce the impact that the disease
causes on the patient’s performance, promoting
independence and providing then with many practical
adaptations for education.
Visual impairment consists of low vision and blindness.
There are very few available data from Brazil regarding
childhood blindness and low vision, but it is estimated
that 1% of general population presents blindness and
that a number 3 times larger presents low vision. The
leading causes of visual impairment in children are
infectious diseases, such as congenital german measles
and toxoplasmosis, and hereditary conditions.
In industrialized countries the most common causes of
low vision in adults are age-related macular
degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, retinal dystrophies
and macular dystrophies. In children, the most common
causes are retinal dystrophies, macular dystrophies,
aphakia, albinism and many congenital and acquired
causes.
The importance of a low vision protocol available in the
Internet is the possibility of gathering a national
multicenter data, with centralization of the data at a
relatively low cost. As the web technology is well
standardized, being compatible with different computers,
and the great improvement of the national
telecommunication infrastructure, nowadays the Internet
access is no longer a problem even for distant
geographical regions.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
In order to develop a web protocol the programs MS Front
Page 2000, Paint Shop Pro 6.0 and MS Visual Interdev 6.0
and the database MS-SQL 7.0 were utilized. The database
was based on the World Health Organization’s
classification protocol, developed by Dr Clare Gilbert
form the Department of Preventive Ophthalmology,
Institute of Ophthalmology, London, England1. This
classification system provides an opportunity to collect
data on childhood low vision in a standardized way. The
new modified Brazilian web protocol was simplified in
order to attend our needs.
RESULTS
The protocol is available on the website URL: http://www.saudeparavoce.com.br/defvisual,
with the access restricted by password. Statistics
reports were developed in order to follow on line the
data collected.
Each institution can only access and analyze their own
data. The authorization by VIDI is necessary to access
other institution’s data.
There were collected 197 files from the Ophthalmology
Department of Santa Casa de Misericórdia de São Paulo.
Now, more two additional centers are joining the project:
VIDI Unit Fernandes Figueira Institute (FIOCRUZ-MS), Rio
de Janeiro and São Geraldo Hospital of UFMG.
DISCUSSION
The Internet/Web is a good option to implement
scientific multicenter protocols, as it can provide the
centralization of data and on line follow-up with no
time waste between entering the data and its analysis
and avoid unnecessary expenses due to actualization of
the systems when they are distributed through magnetic
discs. Protocols based on this model enable that
institutions with no computing facilities to have access
to those developed resources with no expenses.
The utilization of a standardized protocol by many
institutions allows exchange of information and a
national follow-up of the data collected.
CONCLUSION
The implementation of a web based protocol enables a
multicenter sharing of information, centralization of
data, sharing of computing resources, simplified
actualization of system versions and agility in sending
and processing data.
Reference
1. Gilbert C., Foster A., Négrel A-D & Thylefors B.
Childhood blindness: a new form of recording causes of
visual loss in children. Bulletin of the World Health
Organization 1993, 71(5): 485-489.
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