Referral protocol to vision therapy

Abstract

Introduction: This paper presents the design of a protocol for the referral of patients with clinical findings of visual disturbances that require vision therapy through the design of algorithms based on decision trees for their clinical management and visual rehabilitation supported by clinical evidence; the absence of standardization of processes makes it impossible to make a referral decision, which can generate uncertainty in making timely and correct provisions. Objective: Design a protocol to refer to vision therapy from the optometric consultation. Methodology: This research is qualitative, quantitative descriptive, because results were obtained based on the experience of 162 professionals surveyed; This research was conducted in the province of Manabí, although a national survey was applied to visual health professionals; Based on the data obtained, the protocol for referral to vision therapy was designed. Results: the action protocol was designed with five algorithms: amblyopia, remote PPC, strabismus in distant and near vision, and oculomotor dysfunction, accommodation, and decreased stereopsis dysfunctions. Conclusions: The basic tests identified that should be performed based on visual function are visual acuity, refraction, contrast vision and color vision; for visual efficiency: ocular motility, accommodation, and stereopsis; the structure of the protocol for referral to the visual therapy area was established through easy-to-interpret flowcharts. The standardization and management of equality of procedures is a useful tool for conducting research and multicenter studies where there must be equality.