• Tridip Bharali
• Prof. Monica Choudhury
• J.salai dhavamathi

Aim: To evaluate visual and ocular disorder in peoples with mental retardation. Background: The vision plays a vital role development of cooperate actions such as language, interpreting facial expressions and abilities requiring hand eye co-ordination. The mental retardation people are difficult to evaluate, requiring patience, skills and a broader range of investigatory instruments than normal people. The visual problems of mentally retarded people are often ignored as they cannot express their feelings by their own. There have been several studies which reported ocular and visual disorders in mental disorder peoples. Objectives: To analyse the status of vision in peoples with mental retardation and also to determine the prevalence of ocular defects in peoples with mild, moderate and severe mental retardation attending special educational schools. Materials and methods: A total of 150 institutionalized peoples with mental retardation in the mean age group of 21.07± 8.228 years underwent a visual screening based on a standard test protocol. Visual and ocular disorders were identified and subjective optical correction was advised as well as referrals of the complicated cases were assessed. Results: In our study, the prevalence of refractive error in mentally retarded people was found to be 46% and astigmatism being the most highly prevalent refractive error among these people. Compared to the prevalence rate of refractive error in normal population found to be 30%. The prevalence rate of ocular disease among mentally retarded people is 29.3% and blepharitis (14%) being the most highly prevalent ocular defect. It is found that there is no association between the severity of mentally retarded peoples with ocular disorder(p=0.882) and refractive error(p=0.135). Moreover, it is also found that out of 69 only 9 subjects with refractive error were using spectacles. Conclusion: Visual examination in mentally retarded people is ignored and their ocular conditions remain diagnosed. Therefore, assessments should be done that may improve or enhance the skills of these people. The sign of blepharitis is commonly seen in such patient and proper hygiene in care of these patients should be emphasized.

Mental retardation, visual disorder, ocular defects, vision assessment, special school, screening protocol

"Status of visual and ocular disorder in peoples with mental retardation", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.6, Issue 6, page no.2115-2122, June-2019, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2006307.pdf

"Status of visual and ocular disorder in peoples with mental retardation", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.6, Issue 6, page no. pp2115-2122, June-2019, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2006307.pdf