USE OF A MOTORIZED WHEELCHAIR IN CONJUNCTION WITH A GUIDE DOG FOR THELEGALLY BLIND AND PHYSICALLY DISABLED

There is limited literature concerning use of wheelchairs by patients with combined visual impairment and neuromuscular diseases. This case report describes the use of motorized wheelchair and guide dog by a le gally blind patient with severe visual loss due to oculocutaneous albi nism. He had concomitant decreases functional mobility from degenerati ve joint disease of both knees, which limited his ambulation capabilit y. After careful consideration of risks and a successful trial of its use in the corridors of our institution, as well as successfully trave ling wit it outdoors, he was given a motorized wheelchair. He has cont inued to use it safely and successfully along with his guide dog. Comb ined visual and neuromuscular diseases will be encountered with increa sing frequency because of the aging population, and it is therefore im portant for physiatrists to be able to provide assistive devices for s uch individuals. Vision loss is not an absolute contraindication to mo torized wheelchair use. (C) 1998 by the American Congress of Rehabilit ation Medicine and the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehab ilitation.