London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
London County Council 1964
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]
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Blind and partially-sighted persons
During the year 1,561 examinations were made in connection with certification under the
National Assistance Act, 1948 of blind or partially-sighted persons and 46 persons were
found to be neither blind nor partially-sighted. In addition, 550 certificates were accepted
from other local authorities, hospitals and private ophthalmologists—47 more than in
the previous year. The percentage of new registrations recommended to obtain treatment
was 58.7 per cent. compared with 58.3 per cent. in 1963. The number of examinations of
persons newly referred during the year was appreciably higher than for 1963, with a
corresponding fall in the number of re-examinations of persons previously examined.
The results of examinations of persons newly registered during the year are given in
tables (i) and (ii).
| Age | Principal cause of defective vision | Total | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cataract | Glaucoma | Retrolental fibroplasia | Other conditions | ||
| 0-4 years | 4 | - | 2 | 4 | 10 |
| 5-15 years | 1 | 1 | - | 1 | 3 |
| 16-64 years | 57 | 14 | - | 201 | 272 |
| 65-74 years | 111 | 39 | - | 152 | 302 |
| 75 years and over | 334 | 68 | - | 397 | 799 |
| Age not known | 7 | 6 | - | 18 | 31 |
| 514 | 128 | 2 | 773 | 1,417 | |
| (b) No. recommended to obtain treatment | 348 | 106 | - | 378 | 832 |
| (b) as percentage of (a) | 67.7 | 82.8 | - | 48.9 | 58.7 |
| No. of patients examined | Treatment recommended | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| None | Medical | Surgical | Optical | Hospital supervision | ||||
| Early | Later | if general condition permits | ||||||
| Cataract | 514 | 166 | 39 | 67 | 55 | 43 | 42 | 157 |
| Glaucoma | 128 | 22 | 30 | - | 5 | 1 | 8 | 81 |
| Retrolental fibroplasia | 2 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Other conditions | 773 | 395 | 96 | 7 | 20 | 6 | 46 | 249 |
| Total | 1,417 | 585 | 165 | 74 | 80 | 50 | 96 | 487 |
*Includes cases recommended more than one form of treatment.
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