Effect of the Implementation of Nursing Interventions Program on the Visual Activities among Geriatric Patients with Dry Eye Disease

Ahmed Mohsen, Heba; Abd El Fattah Ibrahim, Nagwa; Ismail Sayed Ahmed Abo Breika, Wafaa; Mohamed Abdelaziz, Thoraya

doi:10.21608/asalexu.2024.354345

Effect of the Implementation of Nursing Interventions Program on the Visual Activities among Geriatric Patients with Dry Eye Disease

Document Type : Research articles

Authors

¹ Gerontological Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Alexandria University, Egypt.

² Medical surgical Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Alexandria University, Egypt

10.21608/asalexu.2024.354345

Abstract

Background: Dry eye disease (DED) is one of the most common ophthalmologic diseases affecting geriatric patients enforcing their visits to the ophthalmologist seeking eye examination and treatment. DED is a tear film condition caused by decreased tear production or increased tear evaporation, resulting in eye discomfort and weariness. Objective: Determine the effect of implementation of nursing interventions program on the visual activities among geriatric patients with DED. Settings: The study was carried out in the Ophthalmology Hospital (Farouk hospital) at Alexandria governorate, Egypt. Subjects: A convenient samples of 70 geriatric patients diagnosed with DED were included, who had intact or mild cognitive function impairment on the Saint Louis University Mental Status (SLUMS) Examination, Had no depression; score less than 3 on the Patient Health Questionnaire-2 (PHQ-2), Had no other eye problems than DED. The sample was divided into two equal groups (35 patients each). Tools: Five tools were used. Tool one: “Saint Louis University Mental Status (SLUMS) Examination". Tool two: “Patient Health Questionnaire- 2 (PHQ-2)". Tool three: “Older Adults Socio–Demographic and Clinical Data Structured Interview Schedule”. Tool four: “Knowledge of Geriatric Patients with Dry Eye Disease Structured Interview Schedule”. Tool five: “Visual Activities Questionnaire
(VAQ). Results: The study showed that, the nursing interventions program had a large effect on the geriatric patients’ study group’s knowledge level (0.945) with a mean of 5.63±3.663, and 21.57±1.290 at the pre and post nursing interventions implementation; respectively. Additionally the intervention had a medium effect on their visual activities improvement (0.711) with a mean of 77.86±19.33, 49.74±3.43 pre and post the nursing interventions implementation; respectively. Conclusion: The geriatric patients who received the proposed nursing interventions program had achieved lower scores on the Visual activities scale (VAS) than those in the control group; with a statistically significant difference between the two groups.. Recommendations: Workshops about multicomponent exercise program are to be provided for the geriatric patients and their formal and informal care givers in the outpatient clinics to enhance their practice and to help the geriatric patients control DED symptoms.

Keywords