[Diagnosis of low vision in children: feelings and comprehension of mothers].

Purpose: To identify mothers' feeling and reactions when facing the diagnosis of low vision and their comprehension of this diagnosis.

Methods: This study features a qualitative research. Eleven low vision children's mothers attended at the Visual Stimulation Service of Ophthalmology Sector of Unicamp Hospital were interviewed. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data. The main issues of the interview were: feelings when faced with the diagnosis and comprehension of this low vision diagnosis.

Results: The results revealed mothers' fear of blindness and a low comprehension of the meaning of low vision, and their interpretation of medical diagnosis according to their subjectivity.

Conclusions: The way the diagnosis is transmitted to the families is extremely important. Parents cultural, economical and emotional background may often impair the diagnosis comprehension.