Retinopathies following psychological stress

ABSTRACT

This study was conducted on 36 patients with different forms of retinopathies that following psychological stressors. A comprehensive ophthalmological and psychiatric evaluation was done for all patients. It was found that a very disturbing psychological event had preceded the onset of retinopathies in 88% of the cases. The psychological disturbance preceded the first visual symptoms by an average of ten days. The pathophysiology was nonspecific, but a stress-induced etiology was highly suggestive. Also, it was noticed that the personality traits increased the severity of the individual's daily tensions, emotional distress and psychological arousal. The results showed that patients needed psychological stability to regain mind- body harmony, beside the routine management of these diseases