Prevalence of sleep/wake disorders in persons with blindness

Abstract

Blind individuals are not only handicapped by their loss of vision, but are also affected because the loss of sight may have a secondary impact on functioning of their biological clock. The objective of the present study was to determine the impact of visual loss on sleep/wake disorders. A prospective 48-item questionnaire survey was distributed to blind individuals through the French Association Valentin Haüy, which serves blind persons. A control group matched by age, sex, geographical location and professional activity/non-activity was obtained from a panel of 20000 households representative of the French population, and this group also completed the questionnaire. From a potential blind population of 1500 subjects, 1073 questionnaires (71.5%) were completed and usable for analysis, and from a potential 1000 control subjects, 794 (79. 4%) of the questionnaires were returned and analysed. Criteria outlined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th revision, and the International Classification of Sleep/Wake Disorders (1990) were used to determine pathology. Individuals determined to be 'totally blind' and 'almost blind' (i.e. with less than 10% vision left in only one eye) presented a significantly higher occurrence of sleep/wake disorders than controls. Nocturnal sleep disruption, daytime somnolence, and (to a lesser degree) a 'free-running' condition are significantly more common in blind individuals. There is an increased use of sleeping pills, and a higher incidence of inappropriate involuntary daily naps. In conclusion, individuals with blindness report a significant curtailment of total sleep time and hence resulting daytime somnolence, which impacts on daytime activities. A 'free-running' condition is also a common sleep/wake impairment that may compound the handicap of blindness.

Improvements in Sleep Quality and Gait Speed After Cataract Surgery

“…13,14 One study has reported a PSQI ‡ 5.5 in 48.7% of subjects with visual acuity < 20/200 or a visual field of < 5°. 15 In other studies, the prevalence of sleep disorders in visually impaired people has been reported to be 58% 16 and 23%-47%, 17 depending on the sleep disorder scales and definitions of visual disorder used. The induction of sleep disorders due to disruption of the circadian rhythm is common in older people.…”

Underexposure to light at work and its association to insomnia and sleepiness

“…Underexposure to natural bright light may disturb sleeping and waking patterns of humans, particularly for blind subjects [9]. In a previous study, we interviewed 1073 blind subjects with the help of Braille questionnaires and we found that blind subjects had significantly more insomnia and free running sleep-wake patterns than seeing controls [10,11].…”

Effect of Light Perception on Menarche in Blind Women

“…16 These findings are consistent with reports by Bellastella and Leger, who reported that blind people with varying degrees of light perception are shorter in stature and have a lower BMI than sighted controls. 2,3,17 The increased current BMI in NPL women does not account for the earlier menarche observed in this group, as could be hypothesized, 18 as their weight and BMI were significantly lower than LP women at age 18. Consistent with prior reports, we found no differences between LP and NPL women in age at natural menopause, which occurred around age 50.…”

“…Consistent with prior reports, we found no differences between LP and NPL women in age at natural menopause, which occurred around age 50. 17 We also found no differences in the age of first birth between LP and NPL women; however, only 42% of NPL women reported being parous compared to 57% of LP women.…”