The influence of the degree of visual impairment on psychomotor reaction and equilibrium maintenance of adolescents.

The changes in such human motor performance processes as stability maintenance, production of a response to the environment may be observed if loss of vision or any vision impairment appears. A total of 45 sighted, legally or totally blind subjects volunteered in the study. The influence of the degree of visual impairment on simple, psychomotor reaction and equilibrium parameters was assessed. Reaction and equilibrium dependence on the degree of visual impairment and the possible existence of compensatory motor reactions of visually impaired adolescents were evaluated in the study. Results allowed thinking that insufficient visual information hampers motor performance and maybe the development of the compensatory motor reactions of the legally blind. Approximate values of the reaction parameters of the sighted with open eyes and the totally blind subjects allow one to predicate that the compensatory motor reactions of the blind probably exist. Testing results of the sighted and totally blind subjects are not equal; therefore, we can suppose that intensified tactile or vestibular function cannot absolutely replace the presence of normal vision in motor control.