Abstract
Purpose :
Anxiety is a common mental health condition characterized by excessive worry, fear, or apprehension. The relationship between anxiety and visual disability can be bidirectional. The purpose of this study was to compare the anxiety levels of patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) from a developing country.
Methods :
This was a cross-sectional, observational study and included patients with AMD and POAG and age-matched controls. All participants underwent a complete eye examination including measurement of best-corrected visual acuity, ophthalmoscopy, and biomicroscopy. Anxiety was evaluated with the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) short-form. This is a self-report tool designed to measure state anxiety and trait anxiety. The scores of both anxiety state (STAI-S) and trait (STAI-T) were compared among the groups with ANOVA.
Results :
The sample comprised 94 patients with primary open angle glaucoma, 86 with ARMD and 102 controls. The mean age was 66.6 ± 10.4, 73.9 ± 7.0, and 70.9 ± 9.2 years, for POAG, AMD, and controls, respectively. Gender, ethnicity, and comorbidity were evenly distributed among the groups. The mean STAI-S was 15.3 ± 2.6, 15.0 ± 2.7, and 15.1 ± 2.7 for POAG, AMD, and controls, respectively (P = 0.779) and the mean STAI-T was 16.3 ± 2.6, 16.6 ± 2.6, and 17.2± 3.1 respectively (P = 0.109). When stratified by severity, the frequency of low, moderate, and high anxiety did not differ among the groups (P = 0.791 and P = 0.231, STAI-S and STAI-T, respectively).
Conclusions :
In this cohort of Brazilian patients the anxiety levels were similar among POAG, AMD, and normal controls. Visual disability in itself does not seem to cause additional anxiety.
This abstract was presented at the 2024 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Seattle, WA, May 5-9, 2024.