Abstract
The purpose of this study was to determine the association of well-being and cognitive impairment with primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) patients attending a tertiary care hospital in Malaysia. Fifty-four individuals were recruited for study as cases were matched with 60 individuals as the control subjects, and data were collected using the WHO well-being index and the validated 6-item cognitive impairment test dementia test. The results showed that there was no significant association between gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic status and POAG. Patients with POAG had significantly lower well-being index scores (mean 67.93) than the control group (mean 81.60) with P-value < 0.001. Similarly, patients with POAG had a significantly higher score of cognitive impairment (CIT test) (mean 6.15) compared to the control group (mean 0.40) with P-value < 0.001. Consequently, POAG is likely to be associated with higher cognitive impairment and lower well-being index.
Highlights
Blindness is perceived as a curse for a person and for society
A validated 6-item cognitive impairment test (6-CIT) dementia test was used in Asian population, and it is a screening tool to assess cognition or, more memory loss
The 6-CIT dementia test was developed in the United States by Katzman et al and was initially validated in 1983, and 6-CIT is an acceptably accurate test for assessing cognitive disorders, because its performance is more sensitive than the mini-mental state examination [8]
Summary
Denniston and Murray showed in 2006 that 0.7% of the Malaysian population is blind and that another 500 thousand are visually challenged. The incidence of blindness has shifted in favour of chronic diseases such as glaucoma, age related macular degeneration, cataract and infections. Primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) is a disease characterised by apoptosis of ganglion cells of the retina, leading to progressive loss of visual function [1]. Consequent to increased life expectancy across the globe, the incidence of POAG is increasing. It is a common disease of the elderly, it mostly goes undetected, as it is asymptomatic until the very late stage. Due to its creeping nature and resilience to the existing forms of treatment, POAG is one of the leading causes of blindness all over the world
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