Keywords
Blindness
Psychological experiences
Mental Health
Categories
How to Cite
Abstract
Background: Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness in the world. Blindness secondary to
glaucoma is irreversible, and thus people experience lifelong blindness once they develop blindness from
glaucoma. Currently, there is lack of literature regarding psychological experiences of patients living with
blindness secondary to glaucoma in Africa.
Objective: To explore psychological experiences of adult patients with blindness secondary to glaucoma.
Method: A hospital based qualitative study at a tertiary government eye hospital was done among adult
patients who presented with blindness secondary to glaucoma. Selection of participants was done by
purposive sampling and individual in-depth interviews were used to collect data among study participants
until data saturation. Data was analyzed using content analysis.
Results: Eight adult patients (7 men and 1 woman) with blindness secondary to glaucoma were interviewed.
Patients with glaucoma experienced psychological distress and depression due to unemployment, lack
of basic needs and worries related to unaccomplished family obligations. The patients felt restricted in
performing activities of daily living which consequently overburden their caregivers.
Conclusion: This study has shown that adult patients who are blind from glaucoma experience challenging
mental health problems. There is a need for integration of psychosocial care into the management of patients
with blindness secondary to glaucoma.
References
Kalua K, Lindfield R, Mtupanyama M, Mtumodzi
D, Msiska V. Findings from a Rapid Assessment
of Avoidable Blindness (RAAB) in Southern
Malawi. PLoS One. 2011; 6(4):
Bowman RJC, Kirupananthan S. How to manage
a patient with glaucoma in Africa. Comm Eye
Health J. 2006; 19(59):38-39.
Kayange PC, Nkume HB, Feyi-Waboso A,
Kalua K , Msukwa G , Schulze Schwering M.
Presentation of Primary Open Angle Glaucoma
(POAG) at Lions Sight First Eye hospital in
Blantyre, Malawi. Malawi Med J. 2014; 26 (3):
-62.
Wu, Pei-Xia et al. Patients’ experience of living with
glaucoma: a phenomenological study. J Advanced
Nursing. 2010; 67(4): 800-810.
Kong, Xiangmei , et al. Anxiety and depression
are more prevalent in primary angle closure
glaucoma than in primary open-angle glaucoma.
J Glaucoma. 2015; 24(5): e57-e63.
Bruce R, Rosenthal OD. Low vision and
depression..2013..http://www.guidestar.
org/organisations/13-1096620/Lighthouseinternational.
aspx [15/9/2014].
World Health Organization (2003) http://www.
who.int/features/factfiles/mental.health/en/
/2/2015]
Uzima F, Hamirani MM, Jafri AR, Riaz SU,
Shaikh A. Assessment of anxiety and depression
in primary open angle glaucoma patients. Pak J
Ophthalmol. 2010; 26(3):
Dawodu OA, Otakpor AN, Ukponmwan CU.
Common psychiatric disorders in glaucoma
patients as seen at the University of Benin Teaching
Hospital, Benin City, Nigeria. J Med Biomed Res.
; 3(1):
Bruce R, Rosenthal OD. How is the quality of
life of glaucoma patients affected in the various
disease stages? 2014. www.glaucoma.answers
/8/2015]
Glen FC, Crabb DP. Living with glaucoma: A
qualitative study of functional implications and
patients’ coping behaviours. BMC Ophthalmology.
; 15(1):
Coleman AL, Kodjebacheva G, Wallace SP, Prelip
M, Ortega AN, et al. Visual function of individuals
and communities: a conceptual framework. 2008;