1 Blauwe Kamer Theofaan Group, Castilielaan 8, 5629 CH, Eindhoven,
² Blauwe Kamer Theofaan Group, Galderseweg 65, 4803 EP, Breda,
The Netherlands

Aim of this retrospective study was to investigate the changing panorama of the causes of blindness among multihandicapped subjects during the last decades in the Netherlands.

The files of 125 multihandicapped blind or partially-blind subjects aged from 8 to 64 years (Mean:.31 yr; S.D: 11,5 yr) were divided in seven age groups and analysed. All subjects were resident by the institute " De Blauwe Kamer" in Breda.

Results:

The most important causes of blindness among the whole group were cerebral visual impairment (CVI) (34%), congenital cataract (25%), retinitis pigmentosa (10%) and retinopathy of prematurity (10%). However, considering only subjects younger than 20 years, these percentages changed to 70%, 5%, 15% and 5%, respectively.

Conclusion:

Data obtained confirmed an increasing prevalence of CVI, mainly due to infantile encephalopathy. This remarkable finding underline the necessity of an accurate prevention during pre- and perinatal neonatological care. Moreover, the creation of multidisciplinary teams formed by pediatricians, child-neurologists and pediatric ophthalmologists should be encouraged, in order to allow a better understanding about the consequence of CVI.