Quality of sleep and psychological distress in glaucoma

Background: People living with glaucoma are psychologically burdened because of the threat of visual loss. Therefore, understanding the psychosocial issues and quality of sleep holds important implications for the recognition, prevention, and treatment of emotional problems among people with glaucoma. This study investigated the quality of sleep and psychological distress among people with glaucoma.Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of adults recruited over a period of 12 weeks from a glaucoma clinic of a Teaching Hospital in south-west Nigeria. The quality of sleep and psychological distress were evaluated using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and General Health Questionnaire respectively.Results: Ninety-three adults with glaucoma participated in the study. The mean age was 62.33 ± 15.25 years. Fifty-seven (61.3%) of the subjects were poor sleepers while 27 (29.0%) were psychologically distressed. Psychological distress correlated with global sleep score (r = 0.399, p = 0.000), subjective sleep quality (r = 0.341, p = 0.001), sleep latency (r = 0.245, p = 0.018) and sleep disturbance (r = 0.279, p = 0.007).Conclusion: Psychological distress and sleep disturbances were common among patients with glaucoma. Concerns about these issues should be incorporated into routine clinical evaluations of patients with glaucoma

Experience with Extra-capsular Cataract Exraction and Intra-ocular Lens Implant in Children

BACKGROUND: In developing countries congenital cataract has become an important cause of treatable blindness in childhood. However; difficulty in correcting aphakia is one of the reasons for poor visual outcome. OBJECTIVE: To determine the visual outcome after extra capsular cataract extraction and intra ocular lens implant and factors militating against good visual outcome in children. METHODS: A prospective interventional study of cataract extraction in children with intra ocular lens implant. Extra capsular cataract extraction with intra ocular lens implant was performed using the superior limbal approach. Polymethyl Methacrylate lenses were inserted. Posterior capsulotomy was done with a 25G needle bent at the tip in 26 eyes. RESULTS: Thirty two eyes of twenty five children aged between 4 months and 16 years were operated. Extra capsular cataract extraction with posterior chamber intraocular lens implant was done in 27 (83.4) eyes; plain extra capsular cataract extraction in 3 (9.4) eyes; extra capsular cataract extraction with anterior chamber intraocular lens implant in 1 (3.1) eye and vectis extraction in 1 (3.1) eye. Twenty six eyes had primary posterior capsulotomy. Thirty-two (100) eyes and 15 (60) children were blind before surgery. Result of post operative visual acuity in 18 children after refraction was 6/18 or better in 4 (22.2) children 6/24-6/60 in 11 (61.1) and 3/60 in 3 (16.7) children. CONCLUSION: Visual rehabilitation following extra capsular cataract extraction with Intra Ocular Lens Implant is encouraging in children