Presence of Obsessionality and Hysteria in Patients with Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma.

Background and

Objectives

Glaucoma is a group of conditions of the eye that can damage the optic nerve, leading to optic neuropathy. Nevertheless, due to its chronic characteristics, it could also be the background for psychoneurotic disorders based on the psychological and emotional stress that it causes. The presented study aimed to examine the characteristics and the occurrence of obsessionality and hysteria, as well as Open-Angle Glaucoma (OAG) in glaucoma patients. Materials and

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted in the Clinic for Eye Diseases at the Clinical Hospital Center Osijek on 200 patients with different stages of OAG progression from December 2023 to December 2024. A Crown-Crisp Experiential Index (CCEI) was used to observe the influence of different degrees of OAG damage on the severity of obsessionality and hysteria.

Results

The obsessionality score was higher in women than in men (Mann-Whitney U test, p < 0.001). Multivariate logistic regression (stepwise method) indicated a significant model for predicting hysteria, consisting of one predictor: female sex (odds ratio = 2.9). According to CCEI, using bivariate and multivariate logistic regression to predict obsessionality, no significant predictors or models were observed.

Conclusions

The psychological toll of coping with glaucoma could exacerbate glaucoma. Further investigations are necessary to help us understand OAG personality traits and establish a stable methodology for extending appropriate care to glaucoma patients.