Influence of painless one-eye blindness on depression, anxiety and quality of life in glaucoma patients with a normal fellow eye

Abstract

Background For clinical practice it is important to evaluate and compare anxiety, depression and quality of life of glaucoma patients with painless one-eye blindness and a normal fellow eye to unaffected age-matched individuals from a similar environment. Methods Twenty-eight stable glaucoma patients (age, mean ± SD: 69.0 ± 13.3 years) with one normal and one painless blind eye, and 26 controls (age: 67.0 ± 14.0 years) completed the standard Hungarian adaptations of the Beck Depression Inventory, Beck Anxiety Inventory, Spielberger-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Hopelessness Scale, and Quality of Life Questionnaire SF-36 with the assistance of trained psychologist interviewers within 3 months after a detailed ophthalmological examination. Results The groups did not differ in age, gender distribution, number of children, grandchildren and people in their household (p ≥ 0.235). The best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) of the diseased eye was minimal (median: 0.00), while BCVA of their better eye (median: 1.0) did not differ from that of the control group (p ≥ 0.694). Compared to the control group, the patients’ scores were significantly higher for depression (p ≤ 0.01), cognitive and psychophysiological symptoms of anxiety (p ≤ 0.05) and hopelessness (p ≤ 0.013), and lower (worse) for physical function, vitality, general health and bodily pain (p ≤ 0.045). No difference was found between the groups for mental health, physical role functioning, emotional role functioning and social role functioning (p ≥ 0.117). Conclusion Our results show that patients with glaucoma-related one-eye blindness may require regular psychological support even when the visual performance of the fellow eye is fully maintained on the long run, and the patients’ everyday functioning is normal.

The impact of glaucoma on the mental health of primary open-angle glaucoma patients attending a teaching hospital in South East Nigeria

“…[ 5 ] Findings from various studies have shown that glaucoma is associated with low levels of psychosocial well-being characterized by a diminution in the individual’s perception of self and ability to function in the community and usually manifests as depression and/or anxiety. [ 6 7 8 9 10 ] Depressed people feel sad, empty, hopeless, worthless, and irritable with an aversion to activity. [ 11 12 13 14 ] Although anxiety is distinguished by feelings of precariousness and vulnerability, in severe cases, it comes with repeated apprehension and intense fear, which is incommensurate to the existing situation causing it.…”

Investigating the Influence of Glaucoma on the Quality of Life among Adult Patients

“…And the study agrees with our findings because a lot of partici-International Journal of Clinical Medicine pants (58%) had extreme difficulties reading ordinary prints despite being educated. Glaucoma patients are more likely to experience anxiety, depression and feelings of hopelessness about their future, and their self-reported health assessment is reduced [28]. This could be attributed to a number of factors because according to this study, most glaucoma patients are uncertain about the source of income to buy their medication as most of them (60%) earned less than $200 per month and this makes them (66%) be worried most of the their life time thereby sending themselves into depression.…”

Modern Approaches to Neuroprotection in Ophthalmic Neurodegenerative Diseases

“…Немаловажное значение представляет собой потенциальный порочный круг, в котором потеря зрения при офтальмонейродегенерациях вызывает психологический стресс и тревогу, оказывающие влияние на холинергическую систему мозга, вызывая дальнейшую потерю зрения. Например, часто отмечается страх пациентов перед слепотой с течением времени, даже с хорошо зрячим единственным глазом [79]. В то же время известно, что холинергические нейроны участвуют в регуляции когнитивных функций, включая страх [80], а психический стресс может изменять холинергическую нейротрансмиссию в головном мозге, нарушая работу системы ацетилхолина, что приводит к тревоге [81].…”