<p>Visual Impairment and Mental Health: Unmet Needs and Treatment Options</p>

Abstract

Purpose: An estimated 2.2 billion people are visually impaired worldwide. Given that agerelated vision loss is a primary cause of vision impairment, this number is projected to rise with increases in average lifespan. Vision loss often results in significant disability and is associated with a substantial economic burden, reduced quality-of-life, concurrent medical issues, and mental health problems. In this review, the mental health needs of people with vision impairment are examined. Patients and methods: A review of recent literature on mental health outcomes and current treatments in people with visual impairment was conducted. Results: Considerable data indicate that rates of depression and anxiety are elevated among people with visual impairments. Moreover, individuals of lower socioeconomic status may be at increased risk for vision impairment and subsequent mental health problems. Existing psychosocial interventions for improving mental health in people with visual impairment show some promise, but are limited by low adherence and lack generalizability. Conclusion: In order to improve outcomes, a better understanding of the mechanisms linking visual impairment and poor mental health is needed. It will also be essential to develop more effective interventions and expand access to services to improve the detection and treatment of mental health problems in this population.

Association of objective visual impairment with suicidal ideation and suicide attempts among adults aged ≥50 years in low/middle-income countries

“…We focused on unemployment, cognition, anxiety, perceived stress, sleep/energy, mobility, loneliness, social participation, disability, and poor self-related health based on the possibility that they can be the consequence of visual impairment, while they can also lead to suicidal thoughts and behavior [35][36][37][38]. Unemployment referred to not being engaged in paid work ≥2 days in the last 7 days.…”

“…One other potential but under-studied risk factor in older adults is that of visual impairment. It is possible for visual impairment to lead to higher risk of suicidal thoughts and behavior via factors such as unemployment, cognitive problems, anxiety, stress, sleep problems, mobility limitations, loneliness, lack of social participation, disability, and poor self-related health [16][17][18][19]. However, there are only a few studies on visual impairment and suicidal thoughts or behavior among older people.…”

General self-efficacy in individuals with visual impairment compared with the general population

“…In the extension of Bandura’s theories [ 7 , 8 ], both self-efficacy and life satisfaction may arise through the dynamic interaction between the person’s characteristics, his or her behavior, and the environment in which the person lives and acts. Lower levels of life satisfaction among people with visual impairment may be due to restricted access to information, reduced mobility, lower education, more loneliness [ 2 ], and more adversities such as experiences with bullying [ 19 ], abuse [ 20 ], or mental disorders [ 3 , 15 ]. In addition to improve the coping abilities of people with visual impairment, interventions should also target social or structural barriers in society, such as providing universal design and access to equal opportunities and physical environments, to increase the life satisfaction in this population.…”

“…From a health perspective, higher self-efficacy is associated with the ability to improve health through rehabilitation from illness [9][10][11], smoking cessation [12], or adherence to recommended physical activity [13] or diet [14]. Also for people with visual impairment, there are indications that self-efficacy may be related to better adjustment, health outcomes, and quality of life [15].…”

“…The relationship may be modified through success in various aspects of life, such as education, work, family, or social adjustment. People with visual impairment are more prone to several conditions that have been shown to be associated with lower life satisfaction such as bullying [ 19 ], abuse [ 20 ], loneliness [ 2 ], or mental disorders [ 3 , 15 ]. Therefore, it is uncertain whether the relationship between self-efficacy and quality of life is the same in people with visual impairment as in the general population.…”