Precocious detention of suspecious cases of visual need in the community assisted by the program “um estudante uma família” of Lúrio University, Mozambique

Abstract

The visual need is characterized by the limitation of visual capacity, resulting of organics
and/or functional alterations. The realization of regular consultation is considered more
efficient way for the precocious detention of any alteration that attacks the visual health,
being an indispensable tool in the prevention of visual need. This research has had as
the main objective to detect precociously the suspicious cases of visual need in the
community of Muatala. A descriptive quantitative, transversal and prospective
observational study was made in 102 residents of the community of Muatala, Nampula
– Mozambique, in the period between September to October of 2018. The data were
collected through questionnaire and clinic evaluation, through the clinic examination of
the visual acuity. In this study, the descriptive statistic was applied for the data analysis.
From the 102 examined residents of the community, 39% presented need in the visual
acuity at a great distance. In the evaluation of the risk factors which contributes to the
emerge of visual need cases, was discovered that the community presents diagnosed
systematic diseases, which contributes to the development of lesions at ocular level,
being the more frequent the arterial hypertension (21%) followed by the mellitus
diabetes (6%). Related to the visual health consultations, was noticed that 91% of the
participants did not know their visual health status, what makes them vulnerable,
considering that exist asymptomatic diseases in its initial stage which may cause
irreversible blindness. Thus, can be affirmed that the community of Muatala has
suspicious cases of visual need, which needs monitoring and precocious intervention.

Keywords: Irreversible blindness. Visual need. Visual health. Mozambique.