Elderly persons confronted with visual loss and long waiting lists: How do they react?

The main purpose of this study is to better understand the behaviours and feelings of elderly persons after receiving a diagnosis of permanent visual loss. A qualitative research approach and the grounded theory were used to outline key patient reactions associated with the diagnosis. Visually impaired elderly people stop daily activities and may experience distress, isolation, depression and loss of autonomy. They do not know where to turn for low vision services and most of the time; it is usually either a family member or a health care provider that researches contact information for them. When they finally do contact the good resource, they must face a long waiting list. They do not understand why they must wait, stating that they simply wish to be able to read and watch television like before. For elderly persons, good eye-health represents life, autonomy and being active whereas vision loss is associated with death, fear and the end of their life as they know it. When they learn of a long waiting list for low vision services, they feel that their situation is increasingly hopeless.