Impact of Meditation on Reducing Stress in Glaucoma Patients During COVID-19 Pandemic

Visually impaired seniors are susceptible to having lower Quality of Life (QOL)1-4. The current situation-specific stressors including the fear of contracting COVID-19, prolonged periods of self-isolation, reduced mobility, greater dependence on caregivers or family members, reduced or no social interactions, inability to visit clinics for non-emergency treatments and surgeries, and financial uncertainty may further deteriorate the QOL of seniors with eye diseases. In this study, patients with moderate glaucoma aged 65 and above will be randomized to Art of Meditation (AOM) plus Treatment as usual (TAU) or TAU alone to assess the changes in Health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Patients in the AOM group will be taught a meditation technique by trained instructors while the patients in the TAU group continue to receive standard of care. It is hypothesized that it's feasible to assess the effects of AOM in a sample of glaucoma patients during COVID-19 pandemic, and that glaucoma patients will experience enhanced QOL, reduced depression and anxiety, and improved sleep quality by participating in the AOM intervention.

Inclusion CriteriaPatients diagnosed with glaucoma by an experienced ophthalmologist.Patients aged 65 and above.Be able to provide valid informed consent to participate in the research study.Being able to read and understand English.Having no significant self-reported or physician-diagnosed mental health disorder.Access to technology to participate in virtual AOM sessions.Able to sit comfortably for 90 minutes without any major pain or discomfort, hear well enough to follow verbal instructions when the eyes are closed, and be in good general physical health.Exclusion CriteriaInability to provide a valid informed consent.Significant communication barriers or lack of English proficiency that prevents participants from completing the questionnaires.Severe depression as confirmed by a CES-D ≥ 24.Having a lifetime diagnosis of self-reported other serious mental disorders, including bipolar I or II disorder, primary psychotic disorder (schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, schizophreniform disorder, delusional disorder).Self-reported substance abuse or dependence within the past 3 months.Having an acutely unstable medical illnesses, including delirium or acute cerebrovascular or cardiovascular events within the last 6 months.Having irreversible vision loss that prevents one from completing the questionnaires.