Illness perceptions in people newly-diagnosed with glaucoma and ocular hypertension

Background/aims: To determine whether self-reported illness perceptions in newly-diagnosed patients with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and ocular hypertension (OHT) are more negative compared to peers who have lived with their diagnosis for more than two years. Methods: A cross-sectional study of 58 newly-diagnosed patients with POAG and OHT recruited at their first clinic visit. Electronic patient records were used to identify similar patients (n=58, related by age and severity of visual field loss) who had their diagnosis for > 2 years. All participants completed the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (BIPQ), EQ5D general health measure and Type D Personality Scale (DS14). Results: Average BIPQ scores were similar for people newly-diagnosed with POAG and POAG diagnosed > 2 years, and were no different to newly-diagnosed OHT and OHT diagnosed > 2 years POAG (p=0.46). An analysis correcting for personality type (DS14) and general health (EQ5D) indicated newly-diagnosed patients with POAG to have marginally better illness perceptions on individual BIPQ items quantifying impact on life in general, experience of symptoms and ‘understanding’ of their condition (all p<0.01). In contrast POAG patients with a diagnosis >2 years understood better their condition to be long-term (p<0.01). Conclusions: Some illness perceptions differed between newly-diagnosed people and patients living with their diagnosis for >2 years. Illness perception for people with manifest glaucoma and at risk of glaucoma (OHT) were similar; the latter might benefit from an intervention at diagnosis that highlights the better prognosis for OHT compared to POAG.