The NaviSight Study: Investigating How Diabetic Retinopathy and Retinitis Pigmentosa Affect Navigating the Built Environment

Laura N. Cushley (), Lajos Csincsik, Gianni Virgili, Katie Curran, Giuliana Silvestri, Neil Galway and Tunde Peto
Additional contact information
Laura N. Cushley: Centre for Public Health, Queen’s University, Belfast BT12 6BA, UK
Lajos Csincsik: Centre for Public Health, Queen’s University, Belfast BT12 6BA, UK
Gianni Virgili: Centre for Public Health, Queen’s University, Belfast BT12 6BA, UK
Katie Curran: Centre for Public Health, Queen’s University, Belfast BT12 6BA, UK
Giuliana Silvestri: Ophthalmology Department, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, Belfast BT12 6BA, UK
Neil Galway: School of the Natural and Built Environment, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast BT7 1NN, UK
Tunde Peto: Centre for Public Health, Queen’s University, Belfast BT12 6BA, UK

Disabilities, 2024, vol. 4, issue 3, 1-18

Abstract: Background: Visual impairment is a global problem and, regardless of the cause, it substantially impacts people’s daily lives. Navigating towns and cities can be one of the most difficult tasks for someone with a visual impairment. This is because our streetscapes are often inaccessible for navigating safely and independently by people with a visual impairment. Barriers include street clutter, bollards, pavement parking, and shared spaces. Methodology: Participants with varying levels of diabetic retinopathy (DR) and retinitis pigmentosa (RP) were recruited. Each participant completed a clinical visit and a 1-mile walk. Participants discussed confidence, anxiety, difficulty, and any barriers encountered while completing the walkaround. Participants completed quality of life (RetDQol), diabetes distress scales, and a study questionnaire. They also underwent retinal imaging and visual function testing. Retinal imaging and visual function results were compared with confidence, difficulty, and anxiety levels during the walkaround using Spearman’s correlation. Results: Thirty-three participants took part in the study, 22 with diabetes and 11 with RP. Results showed that average confidence was correlated with visual acuity, RetDQol, mean visual fields, and vertical peripheral diameter visual fields. Average difficulty was associated with visual acuity, RetDQol, dark adaptation, mean visual fields, percentage of the retina, and both horizontal and vertical diameter visual fields. In addition, some of the barriers discussed were pavement issues, bollards, parked cars, uneven pavements, alfresco dining, light levels, and street features such as tree roots, poles, A-boards, and street clutter. Conclusions: People with RP and treated DR faced common barriers while navigating the walkaround. The removal of these common barriers would make our streetscapes more accessible for all and will allow for more independence in those with visual impairments.

Keywords: visual impairment; retinitis pigmentosa; diabetic retinopathy; built environment; quality of life; sight loss (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2673-7272/4/3/32/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2673-7272/4/3/32/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jdisab:v:4:y:2024:i:3:p:32-524:d:1441283

Access Statistics for this article

Disabilities is currently edited by Ms. Cici Zhou

More articles in Disabilities from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().