An inquiry into the emotional impact of sight loss and the counselling experiences and needs of blind and partially sighted people

Abstract

Background: The link between sight loss and depression is well documented. The UK Vision Strategy seeks to bring the emotional impact of sight loss into public awareness and improve access to emotional support for visually impaired people. However, dedicated counselling services for visually impaired people remain scarce, and research into the effectiveness of psychological interventions is predominantly anecdotal rather than evidence based. Aim: To explore the emotional impact of sight loss in four core areas (mood, self concept, social connectedness and loss), and to explore the counselling experiences and needs of blind and partially sighted adults. Method: Data were collected using the mental health and social functioning sub-scales of the National Eye Institute Visual Functioning Questionnaire-25 and semi-structured interviews transcribed and analysed using grounded theory. Results: Participants with a serious eye condition shared a common transition from sight to blindness, starting with diagnosis, coping with deterioration of sight, experiencing loss in different areas of life, experiencing changed perceptions of self in relation to society, experiencing others in a changed way and experiencing rehabilitation. A theoretical model describing the transition from sight to blindness is proposed. Participants reported negative perceptions of counselling and a lack of counselling opportunities in relation to their sight loss. Implications: The implications for policy and practice are discussed, particularly the need for counselling after diagnosis of visual impairment and the specific challenges facing those who deliver counselling to blind and partially sighted clients.

Quality of life in blind and partially sighted people

“…The former had a statistically higher QoL than the latter. Obtained results match both the expectations and listed references 11,14,15 . Persons who are blind from birth or most of their lives tackle their problems more easily 11,12 .…”

“…Several studies tackled cases of blindness acquired due to an illness, such as diabetes, or due to an accident. Said studies report worsened QoL 14. Research by Thurston 15 on blind and partially sighted persons who grew blind later in life corroborated the results of other studies, that is, demonstrated that loss of sight had a negative impact on the disposition and quality of life. Likewise, many subjects felt socially isolated.…”

“…The stages they go through are affected by strong emotions (most profoundly by sense of loss) and wishing to have their sight back. Many never manage to adapt and lose their autonomy 15 . Parrish 14 found that, after being diagnosed with glaucoma, patients went through a change in the subjective perception of QoL not just on account of disease but also as a result of anxiety caused by diagnosis itself.…”

From self-awareness to self-identification with visual impairment: a qualitative study with working age adults at a rehabilitation setting

“…[4][5][6][7][8][9] According to these studies, patients expressed great loss caused by vision disease, emphasizing feelings of sadness and of vulnerability. These feelings also appeared to be associated with challenges during the adaptation process, such as how to use assistive devices, especially the white cane.…”

Evaluation of the evoked brain potentials of patients with asthenia and anxiety symptoms and the partial loss of sight

“…And therefore, loss of sight, especially in adulthood, is accompanied by emotional, motivational and social consequences that directly affect the psychophysiological state of the individual himself, his communication in society and, often, the social status of the subject [1]. In 90% of vision loss cases, this condition is accompanied by depression due to disability [2], and in case of loss of sight with a traumatic genesis, this process is further exacerbated by negative psychopathological manifestations, caused by the additional aggravating effect of posttraumatic stress on the state of mental health [3], [4], [5], [6], [7]. The obvious relevance of the problem implies the involvement of various approaches to its solution, and the neurophysiological approach, as we hope, will allow us to identify new neurophysiological predictors for effective diagnosis and treatment of these disorders, on the one hand, and on the other hand -to elucidate the physiological mechanisms of these conditions.…”