Publications by authors named "Laura N Cushley"
The Impact of COVID-19 on People with a Visual Impairment in Northern Ireland: A Sensory Support View.
Int J Environ Res Public Health
December 2024
The COVID-19 pandemic brought many challenges for all and especially for people with a visual impairment. As a result, many healthcare services had to close or be reduced, and new rules and regulations were implemented. These rules, regulations and testing procedures were challenging for many people with a visual impairment.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- Visual impairment is a growing global issue, with major causes including uncorrected refractive error, cataracts, and age-related macular degeneration; many countries maintain registries to support individuals with visual impairments.
- A scoping review analyzed data from 1266 articles published since 2000, ultimately including 57 studies from 19 countries that revealed common causes of blindness, particularly age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and glaucoma.
- The study highlights the varying approaches to certifying visual impairment worldwide and underscores the necessity of maintaining registers to better support affected individuals and plan health services effectively.
Background: Diabetes is rising globally and is the most common cause of both end-stage renal disease and blindness. People on hemodialysis have to attend several dialysis appointments per week, which can affect their attendance at diabetic eye screening. In addition, previous literature suggests patients on hemodialysis are more likely to have sight-threatening diabetic eye disease.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPeople with a visual impairment often find navigating around towns and cities difficult. Streetscape features such as bollards, street cafés, and parked cars on pavements are some of the most common issues. in this paper semi-structured interviews were conducted with stakeholders including built environment professionals, visually impaired individuals, ophthalmic professionals, and sight loss charities.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- West African crystalline maculopathy (WACM) features crystal-like deposits in the macula, with a study analyzing its characteristics and possible biological factors among a group of participants with this condition.* -
- The study involved 53 participants, predominantly aged around 68, and utilized various methods including medical histories, exams, and imaging to evaluate the presence and distribution of crystals.* -
- Findings showed WACM in 106 eyes with a notable link to the complement factor H (CFH) 402H genetic variant, while factors such as age and sex showed no significant associations.*
Introduction: This study investigated Northern Ireland Diabetic Eye Screening Programme (NIDESP) attendance and diabetic retinopathy (DR) prevalence/severity in patients with diabetes mellitus secondary to chronic pancreatitis (PwDMsCP).
Research Design And Methods: Medical/NIDESP records for all PwDMsCP attending the pancreatic diabetes clinic were analyzed in 2017 (n=78) and 2019 (n=94).
Results: Between 2017 and 2019, those without DR decreased (76% to 63%); mild non-proliferative DR (NPDR), severe NPDR and PDR were found in 30%, 2% and 5%, respectively (previously 18%, 4%, 2%); diabetic maculopathy (DMac) was present in 12% (previously 10%).