Diturbance of leep in blindne Original Reearch Article

PURPOE: To determine the prevalence and everity of leep diturbance in blind ubject and it relation to the form and duration of viual lo. METHOD: Of 403 blind ubject (viual acuity of le than 20/200 or a viual field of le than 5 degree) recruited for the tudy, 15 were excluded becaue of affective diorder a identified by Montgomery Aberg Depreion cale. The remaining 388 ubject and a comparion group of 44 normally ighted individual underwent an interview, and the Pittburgh leep Quality Index quetionnaire wa adminitered. leep diturbance wa claified a mild, moderate, or evere. REULT: Diturbance of leep wa recorded in 189 (48.7%) of the blind ubject. The prevalence wa higher and the leep diturbance wa more evere in thoe with no perception of light than in thoe with light perception or better viual acuity. In the comparion group, four (9.1%) had mild leep diturbance only. The difference between blind ubject and normally ighted individual were highly ignificant (P < .001). The mot common leep-related problem among the blind ubject wa interrupted leep, followed by increaed leep latency, hort leep duration, and daytime nap. Among the blind ubject, no correlation wa found between the extent of leep diturbance and the duration and pattern of viual lo. CONCLUION: Blind ubject who retain light perception, a well a thoe with total lo of viion, have a high frequency of leep diturbance, although diorder i more common and more evere in ubject with no light perception. Management of the leep diturbance may improve the quality of life in the viually handicapped.