PSYCHO-SOCIAL IMPACT OF VISION LOSS
Other sections of this site touch on some of the issues faced by people experiencing vision loss as well as their carers, families and friends (see our Caregiver's section). However, we feel that it is important to devote a separate section to the psycho-social impact of vision loss.
One of the most difficult aspects of vision loss is the mental and emotional turmoil people go through when they find out that they will lose their sight. This is particularly true in the case of dry AMD where currently no medical treatment options exist.
In the case of wet AMD the change from healthy vision to severe visual impairment can be very rapid leaving the visually impaired person very little time to adjust.
As a result periods of severe depression are common, often worsened by the sleep deprivation that tends to accompany vision loss. Another aspect are hallucination that are caused by what is called the Charles Bonnet syndrome which can cause considerable anxiety if patients have not been warned that this is a common side-effect of AMD.
We feel that these issues are frequently neglected and hit visually impaired people and their friends and families unprepared.
This is why we are devoting a separate section of our site to the psycho-social aspects of AMD. Please find more information and personal accounts from visually impaired people in the following sections:
Common Patient Reactions
Denial
Denial is a normal reaction, particularly at the time the initial diagnosis is made. Recent studies of people with chronic illnesses have concluded that denial can be a positive coping strategy as long as it doesn't interfere with proper treatment and self-care.
Anger
It is not unusual for AMD patients to be angry - angry at their loss of vision and having to give up favourite activities, angry at family and friends and the need for greater dependence on others, angry at their doctors for the inability to restore their sight. Not being able to accomplish usual tasks is frustrating. Knowledge of available options for treatment and rehabilitation, devices to adapt vision and environmental changes to maintain independence help AMD patients cope with their disease and their emotions.
Fear
Fear is a very common reaction to AMD. The diagnosis implies a potentially deteriorating condition, long-term adjustments, and decreased independence. It is reasonable to fear disability and the unknowns of an illness. For many people, the greatest fear is losing control over their lives. Loss of self-respect may be intense. These are not easy issues to work through.
Grief
It is essential for people with AMD to mourn their losses. Mourning can actually help people adjust. Grieving needs to be accepted with patience and compassion by both the individual with AMD and friends and family. The pain of grieving usually eases with time and is gradually replaces by sadness band by positive accommodations to the loss. This adjustment is ongoing and does not follow any calendar or set of stages.
