The following is a summary of “Living with an artificial eye: qualitative insights into patient and family member experiences,” published in the May 2024 issue of Ophthalmology by Boele et al.
Artificial eye users (AEUs) may face psychological and emotional challenges like reduced social functioning due to living with one eye removed or using a prosthetic eye, affecting their families too.
Researchers conducted a retrospective study exploring the experiences of AEUs and their families living with a prosthetic eye and how it affects their quality of life (QoL) and daily functioning.
They interviewed some AEUs and family members in a trial comparing hand-painted to digitally printed artificial eyes. The reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyze transcripts. The primary focus of this study was to understand the QoL and daily functioning, while the qualitative results of trial participation were presented elsewhere.
The results showed that 12 AEUs (8 males) and five spouses (one male) with 2-65 years of artificial eye use were interviewed. Four themes emerged from the interview: Daily life impact, adjusting to sight loss, confidence issues, and social withdrawal. Emotional toll: AEUs and spouses face distress and unmet support needs. Treatment challenges: fragmented care and long waits affect AEUs. Future worries: concerns about sight fragility and further treatment needs.
Investigators concluded that being an AEU affects patients’ and their families’ daily lives and quality of life. They suggest ongoing psychosocial support services to help them cope even long after eye loss.
Source: link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10792-024-02933-0
