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Lecture
for 4th year medical students at the Faculty of Medicine King Fahad
Medical City on October 7, 2013 by Prof Omar Hasan Kasule Sr.
Causes of
blindness
·
Transient blindness is
found in rapid acceleration, glomerulonephritis.
·
Permanent blindness may be
due to injury to the retina, the optic nerve, or the cerebral visual centers.
·
Infectious disease that
cause blindness: gonorrhoea, syphilis, rubella, trachoma, leprosy, tuberculosis,
meningitis, measles, diphtheria, and onchocerciasis.
·
Diabetes causes cataracts
and retinopathy that lead to blindness.
·
Atherosclerosis may cause
retinal atrophy by blocking blood supply.
·
Nutritional deficiencies
may make the cornea opaque.
·
Cataract is opacity of the
cornea that causes blindness.
·
Intraocular pressure may
affect the optic nerve.
Impact of
blindness on activities of daily living
·
Eating, drinking, walking,
sleeping, social interaction
·
Education and teaching,
reading etc
·
Family
·
Occupation
·
Effect on other sensory
modalities
Impact of
blindness on Impact of blindness on Ibadat:
·
The obligation of salat al
jama'at and salat al jumu'at is lessened for a blind person who has not guide
to the mosque.
·
A blind person can be
muaddhin only if he has someone to tell him the correct time.
·
A blind person can be
imaam.
·
Eye drops can be used in
Ramadhan.
·
Ramadhan improves certain
ocular conditions such as glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy.
·
The obligation to travel to
Makka and perform hajj is considered if there are others to help him see the
way.
Impact of
blindness on holding public office:
·
A blind person can be a
public leader if the visual impairment is not judged to impair performance of
leadership functions.
·
A blind person cannot be a
judge because a judge in court must see the witnesses and must be able to
assess their demeanor.
·
A blind person can be a
scholar or a teacher
Impact of
blindness on Muhakamaat, evidence in court:
·
Evidence requiring sight
cannot be accepted from a blind person.
·
Other types of evidence are
acceptable.
·
A blind person can testify
about things seen before blindness
Impact of
blindness on Munakahaat, marriage:
·
A blind person can get
married without seeing and knowing the bride but measures must be taken to make
sure there is enough mutual knowledge of the future spouse based on other
senses that are intact like hearing and getting information from others.
·
The sunnat mentioned
marriage to a woman with congenital blindness, man tazawaaja imra at wa biha
baras[3].
·
A blind person can be being
wali in marriage if there is sufficient information that he knew the spouses
before getting blind and can recognize both using other senses.
Impact of
blindness on Mu'alamalat:
·
Selling and buying by a
blind person can take place in transactions where fraud is unlikely.
·
Blind persons can offer
professional services if there is no possibility of harm due to their lack of
sight.
Social impact of
blindness
·
Economic impact: high cost
of home care and loss of quality adjusted life years[4]
·
Female gender and low SES
associated with blindness[5]
·
Nigerian study showed that
the blind were reasonably adjusted in social interaction, marriage, and family
but poorly adjusted in education, vocational training, employment, and
mobility. Many were also considered to be psychologically maladjusted[6].
·
Economic burden[7]
·
Societal burden[8]
References
[3] (KS550
Muwatta K28 H9)
[4] Arch Ophthalmol. 2007
Apr;125(4):544-50 should account for the fraction of the annual monetary cost
and loss of quality-adjusted life years that can be averted.