Social responsibility in ophthalmology: interdisciplinarity and inclusion in low vision

Abstract

There is still today an important exclusion of the visually impaired people, mainly the low vision ones (particularly people with corrected vision between 0,3 and 0,05 in the bettereye). It is important that the family, the school, the society and the patient him/herself participate in this process of social inclusion to provide a near normal life for these low vision people. There must be an interaction between the educators and the patient, the family (for psychological support and continuing the home rehabilitation) and the ophthalmologist for optimizing the use of visual devices for the patient´s daily activities at school, work, leisure or whatsoever. It is also important an interaction between the ophthalmology and design professionals for providing the most ergonomic as possible devices to permit the low vision patient an adequate adaptation to the everyday life. In the University of São Paulo/Brazil the Ophthalmology Department of the Medical School initiated a collaboration with members of the Design Department of the Architecture School and developed an optical device that can make reading easier and more comfortable for low vision patients. The method of work was based in the integration of knowledge, in thinkingacross disciplines as well as in the participative observation of the patients' needs in their life. This group purposed an ergonomic equipment to permit a better visual performance of the patients, based on their needs, aiming their inclusion in an educational, familiar and social lifeas normal as possible. This is only the beginning of an interaction that will continue, with the goal of developing other optic and electronic devices and even furniture devices as to permit these visually impaired people a more adequate performance in their everyday life.