Impact of Meditation on Reducing Stress in Glaucoma Patients: An Electronic Feasibility Study

Impact of Meditation on Reducing Stress in Glaucoma Patients: An Electronic Feasibility Study

Glaucoma is a chronic disease that causes loss of vision and potentially blindness as a result of optic nerve damage, often due to increased intraocular pressure. Glaucoma is currently the leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide.1 In 2020, 4.1 million and 3.6 million adults over the age of 50 suffered from mild to severe glaucoma-induced visual impairment and blindness, respectively.1 However, these figures are likely underestimated since glaucoma can remain asymptomatic until later stages in disease progression.2 The relaxation response evoked by mind-body interventions, such as breathing exercises and meditation, is known to reduce stress and improve quality of life (QOL). In a recent study, mindfulness-based meditation was found to reduce intraocular pressure and improve QOL in patients with glaucoma.3 A feasibility study will be conducted using a mixed-method design to assess the feasibility of the online delivery of meditation for potentially enhancing the QOL and reducing stress in glaucoma patients. Upon recruitment, participants will undergo blocked randomization to either the intervention arm or usual care arm. Participants in each arm will complete online questionnaires at baseline and weeks 1, 3, 6, and 12 to collect data on health-related quality of life (HRQOL), perceived stress, and behaviour using REDCap. REDCap is an online data collection and survey tool hosted by the Office of Research Services of Lawson Research Institute. Our study can help to assess the feasibility of conducting a study on breathing exercises followed by meditation to assess its effects in a sample of patients with glaucoma.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Diagnosed with glaucoma or suspected to have glaucoma.
• Aged 65 and above.
• Able to provide valid informed consent to participate in the research study.
• Able to read and understand English.
• No significant self-reported or physician-diagnosed mental health disorder.
• Independent access to a computer to participate in virtual sessions.
• Able to sit comfortably for 30 minutes without any major pain or discomfort, can hear well enough to follow verbal instructions when the eyes are closed, and be in good general physical health.
• Willing to practice meditation at home for ~15 minutes per day.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Inability to provide valid informed consent.
• Significant communication barriers or lack of English proficiency that prevents participants from completing the questionnaires.
• Self-reported substance abuse or dependence within the past 3 months.
• Having 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.
• Participation in a study involving similar techniques.
• Established meditation practice, defined as engaging in any formal meditation (e.g., mindfulness, mantra, breath-focused) more than twice per week within the past 3 months.