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Imagine finding out that you are losing your sight and
can no longer go for a walk, read, drive a car, or do many
everyday tasks.
A glaucoma diagnosis can change the
lives of patients and their whānau overnight, and with
this, feelings of increased anxiety, despair, and
hopelessness can develop. It’s this less visible, but no
less significant, indirect impact of glaucoma, and the need
to support patient mental health and education, that Glaucoma New Zealand are
raising awareness of in the lead up to the annual Mental Health Awareness Week, 26
September to 2 October. This is an initiative from the
Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand.
Glaucoma is a
group of eye diseases that damage the optic nerve and is the
leading cause of irreversible blindness. People with
glaucoma are more likely to develop depression, anxiety, and
sleep disorders, and with greater severity1. There are
50,000 Kiwis living unknowingly with glaucoma, and 25-30% of
Kiwis with glaucoma experience mental
illness.
Associate Professor Simon Skalicky is a
Melbourne-based Ophthalmologist, and leading researcher on
the impact of glaucoma on mental health. His Australian
research found that patients face a wide array of fears upon
diagnosis, including not being able to work, loss of
independence, future blindness, loss of ability to drive,
and implications for their family. His Kiwi counterparts
believe there are a number of lessons for us to learn from
A/Prof Skalicky on this side of the Tasman around thinking
holistically about patient wellness and that includes their
mental health.
The role of education in helping to
alleviate this glaucoma patient anxiety was investigated in
a 2018 study by A/Prof Skalicky and fellow researchers.
Newly diagnosed glaucoma patients were provided with
specific glaucoma education, in addition to what they’d
been told by their ophthalmologist, and outcomes such as
their anxiety level and glaucoma comprehension were
measured. This research found that education had a positive
role in improving the patient’s knowledge about glaucoma,
reduced their anxiety, and made them feel
empowered2.
A/Prof Skalicky is a vocal advocate for a
wider view of patient care and says, “We need to provide
educational resources to empower individuals to take control
of their own health and not be passive users of healthcare
facilities. I’m a big believer that knowledge is power and
that patients deserve to know everything. It’s very
important that glaucoma patients, and their wider networks,
have access to all the information they need, feel
supported, and join networks where they can connect with
others and feel less isolated – that’s where Glaucoma New
Zealand plays such a vital role.”
Professor Helen
Danesh-Meyer, Chairwoman of Glaucoma New Zealand, says;
“We’re passionate about saving sight because we know
that this is essential to retain independence. We want to
improve Kiwis’ understanding of glaucoma and the treatment
options available to help to reduce the fear and loneliness
that can accompany a glaucoma diagnosis.”
“We
connect Kiwis living with glaucoma with a community, social
services, and information to help them to maintain their
quality of life and provide psychological support,
information, and encouragement. Please get in touch with us
if you’re feeling at all isolated or anxious and reach out
to family and friends and encourage them to contact us if
they need support.”
To find out more about the
support and services that Glaucoma New Zealand offers, head
to glaucoma.org.nz, or
contact them directly for support via freephone 0800 452 826
or email at info@glaucoma.org.nz.
Helpline
services are also available right now in New Zealand that
offer support, information and help for you and your
parents, whānau, and friends. Need to talk? (Free call or
text 1737), Lifeline (0800 543 354), and Samaritans (0800
726 666) provide 24/7 mental health helpline support
services.
Editor’s
Notes
References:
1Jung KI,
Park CK. Mental Health Status and Quality of Life in
Undiagnosed Glaucoma Patients: A Nationwide Population-Based
Study. Medicine (Baltimore). 2016 May;95(19):e3523. doi:
10.1097/MD.0000000000003523. PMID: 27175648; PMCID:
PMC4902490. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27175648/
2Skalicky
SE, D’Mellow G, House P, Fenwick E; Glaucoma Australia
Educational Impact Study Contributors. Glaucoma Australia
educational impact study: a randomized short-term clinical
trial evaluating the association between glaucoma education
and patient knowledge, anxiety and treatment satisfaction.
Clin Exp Ophthalmol. 2018 Apr;46(3):222-231. doi:
10.1111/ceo.13016. Epub 2017 Aug 11. PMID: 28691363. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28691363/
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