Low vision, visual impairments and metropolitan urban planning: example of a topographic enhancement, need and monitoring in an Italian city

Figures & data

Table 1 Sections of the first survey

1. Section 1: general and about the typology of low vision information.	• Age • Acquired or congenital low vision • Age of onset of the visual impairment • The etiology of the pathology • Other concomitant pathology • The severity of low vision/blindness following the 138/01 law • Only if low vision, the characteristics (central, peripheral or mixed, the best visual acuity and the peripheral residual)
2. Section 2: information about the patients’ mobility.	• How many times the subject leaves the house • If he/she needs to be accompanied • If he/she needs aids • What places he/she frequents and how many times • If and how many times he/she uses public transports and if he/she feels safe, on a scale of 1–10
3. Section 3: opinions about external places.	• The patients are asked to rate, on a scale of 1–10, the utility of facilities created for visually impaired people and present in the urban territory. • At the end of the section, the same questions allow summarization of the patients’ thought. The subjects are asked to say what the most and least used aid is and what would be enhanced in the urban environment.
4. Section 4: opinion about signs.	Section similar to the previous one, but focusing on the ideal characteristics of urban signs designed for visually impaired people.
5. Section 5: general opinion about Turin.	Final section where the subject can propose ideas and projects based on personal experiences. This paragraph will be used, in cooperation with the Municipality of Turin, to create new aids and enhance already existing facilities.

Table 2 Questions of the second survey

Question 1	Age
Question 2	Sex
Question 3	Typology of visual impairment
Question 4	Autonomy in urban environment
Question 5	Use of the white cane
Question 6	Use of the guide dog
Question 7	Use of dedicated paving
Question 8	Use of urban aids, like vibro-tactile traffic lights
Question 9	Can you actually make the route “Porta Nuova station – Marconi subway station” without difficulty?
Question 10	What do you expect of the urban renewal project of Nizza street?

Figure 1 Age classification.

Notes: Percentages of frequency of the age classes in the first survey. The most represented class is the 70–79 years old one.

Figure 2 Years of visual impairment.

Note: Percentages of frequency of classes of years of visual impairment (<10 years, 11–29 years, >30 years) for both acquired and congenital diseases, in the first survey.

Figure 3 Causes of visual impairment.

Notes: Percentages of frequency of the causes of visual impairment of the patients of the first survey, classified according to the anatomical structure involved. Macular and retinal diseases are the most represented ones.

Figure 4 Macular diseases.

Notes: Percentages of frequency of the causes of macular visual impairment of the patients of the first survey. Dry macular degeneration is the most represented one.

Figure 5 Retinal diseases.

Notes: Percentages of frequency of the causes of retinal visual impairment of the patients of the first survey. Retinitis pigmentosa is the most represented one.

Figure 6 Hydrodynamics diseases.

Notes: Percentages of frequency of the causes of visual impairment due to hydrodynamics problems of the patients of the first survey. Open angle glaucoma is the most represented one.

Figure 7 Optic nerve diseases.

Notes: Percentages of frequency of the causes of visual impairment due to optic nerve pathologies of the patients of the first survey. Optic nerve sub atrophy is the most represented one.

Figure 8 Refractive disorders.

Notes: Percentages of frequency of the causes of visual impairment due to refractive disorders of the patients of the first survey. High myopia is the most represented one.

Figure 9 Other pathologies.

Notes: Percentages of frequency of other causes of visual impairment not included in the previous categories of the patients of the first survey. Nystagmus is the most represented one.

Figure 10 Degree of low vision or blindness.

Notes: In accordance with 138/01 law, data about the percentages of frequency of the various categories of low vision or blindness of the patients of the first survey are shown. As regards low vision, the most represented category is severe low vision (26%), while regarding blindness the most represented category is partial blindness (26%).

Table 3 Public places and monthly average of visits

Public place	Monthly average of visits (number of visits/month)
Schools	3.87
Universities	0.81
Libraries	0.75
Sport venues	3.15
Stations	5.81
Parks	4.12
Public offices	1.12
Hospitals	1.68

Table 4 Public places and annual average of visits

Public place	Annual average of visits (number of visits/year)
Museums	0.71
Airports	0.34
Theaters	0.50

Figure 11 Environmental aids.

Notes: Every patient of the first survey expressed his/her opinion about usefulness and frequency of use, on a scale of 1–10, for each environmental aid (tactile pathway, chromatic contrast, pavement-level boarding signaling, handrail, pedestrian crossing signaling, acoustic traffic light, tactile maps and electronic information systems). This figure shows, for each environmental aid (on the horizontal axis) the valuation on the scale of 1–10 (on the vertical axis). The black line represents the range of the answers; the gray triangle represents the mean of the answers. The handrail and the acoustic traffic light are considered the most useful aids.

Figure 12 More used environmental aids.

Notes: This figure shows the percentage of use of acoustic traffic lights, pavement level boarding reports, tactile routes, handrails, tactile maps, and color contrasts, by the patients of the first survey. The acoustic traffic light and the pavement level boarding reports are the most used aids.

Figure 13 Less used environmental aids.

Notes: This figure shows the percentage of use of tactile maps, color contrasts, electronic systems, handrails, or nothing, by the patients of the first survey. The tactile maps are the less used aids.

Figure 14 More required aids in Turin.

Notes: This figure shows the percentage of requests for acoustic traffic lights, pavement level boarding reports, electronic systems, tactile routes, and handrails, by the patients of the first survey. The acoustic traffic light is the most required aid in Turin.

Figure 15 Signs.

Notes: Every patient of the first survey expressed his/her opinion, on a scale of 1–10, about the need of each sign (contrast, large print, simplified font, spacing, illumination, anti-reflective, Braille). This figure shows, for each sign (on the horizontal axis) the valuation on the scale of 1–10 (on the vertical axis). The black line represents the range of the answers; the gray triangle represents the mean of the answers. Contrast has higher mean and the smallest range.

Figure 16 More used signs.

Notes: Percentage of use of signs (large print, contrast, Braille, simplified font, spacing) by the patients of the first survey. The more used signs are large print and contrast.

Figure 17 Less used signs.

Notes: Percentage of use of signs (Braille, nothing, anti-reflective, spacing) by the patients of the first survey. The less used sign is Braille.

Figure 18 More required aids.

Notes: Percentage of requests for aids (large print, Braille, contrast, spacing, illumination) by the patients of the first survey. The most required aid is large print.

Table 5 Survey quests

Survey quests
Question	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
Subject 1	56	W	Low vision	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Subject 2	66	M	Low vision	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Subject 3	51	M	Low vision	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Subject 4	41	M	Low vision	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	No
Subject 5	65	M	Blindness	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Subject 6	56	M	Blindness	–	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No
Subject 7	39	W	Blindness	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes
Subject 8	32	W	Blindness	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Subject 9	46	M	Low vision	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
Subject 10	82	W	Blindness	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	No
Subject 11	71	M	Blindness	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes

Table 6 Answers of the question 10 (survey 2): what do you expect of the urban renewal project of Nizza street?

Subject 1	“An appropriate sidewalk for dimensions, paving and signs, sound lights at the main crossings of the road, an adequate separation between bike lane and pedestrian lane.”
Subject 2	“Improving of the dedicated pavement and more vibro-tactile traffic lights.”
Subject 3	“A positive step forward in assisting pedestrians.”
Subject 4	“Good accessibility along the entire route for the visually impaired.”
Subject 5	No reply.
Subject 6	“To be able to move better, to have an ordered urban furniture and well organized crossings.”
Subject 7	“I think it’s a nice project for the city of Turin and for those like me who suffer from visual impairment. I expect to feel safer moving in my city and to find dedicated paths, according to current regulations.”
Subject 8	“I expect the inclusion of several crossings regulated by vibro-tactile traffic lights, because I know these aids are not present in the city of Turin, except in a short stretch of Via Sacchi.”
Subject 9	“I hope that a wide sidewalk is designed and built in order to allow the guide dog to move easily without hindering the road of other users or mine.”
Subject 10	“I do not want to create false expectations, a safe area would be enough, pleasant for those who accompany me.”
Subject 11	“Given my wide use of the railway services of the Torino Porta Nuova station, I would like a continuous route from the Marconi subway station to the entrance of this station, without obstacles.”