TY - JOUR
T1 - Photopsias are related in part to perceived stress and positive mood in retinitis pigmentosa
AU - Bittner, A. K.
AU - Haythornthwaite, J. A.
AU - Diener-West, M.
AU - Dagnelie, G.
N1 - Funding Information:
We wish to thank the Advanced Methods in the Design and Analysis of Cohort Studies instructors, Drs Chris Cox and Alvaro Munoz, at the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, as well as the 2010 class members for their insightful and valuable contributions. The funding support was provided by NIH K23EY018356 to AKB; Johns Hopkins Center for Mind–Body Research (NIH R24AT004641). The sponsors or funding organizations had no role in the design, conduct, or analysis of this research.
PY - 2012/1
Y1 - 2012/1
N2 - PurposeWe measured the relationship between the occurrence of photopsias (spontaneous phosphenes), and retinitis pigmentosa (RP) subjects level of vision, light exposure, and psychosocial factors to attempt to confirm RP patients previous reports of these associations.MethodsA total of 36 RP subjects self-administered PC-based binocular visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, and visual field tests at home twice a week, for 16 sessions in 2-3 months. After each session, subjects reported photopsias during the vision tests and completed questionnaires: Epworth Sleepiness Scale, Stanford Sleepiness Scale, Perceived Stress Scale, and Positive and Negative Affect Schedules.ResultsAcross all subjects, photopsias occurred during 47% of sessions. Five (14%) subjects never noted photopsias, while five others noted photopsias at every session. Two-thirds of subjects experienced photopsias frequently (>20% of sessions). On average, the odds of noticing photopsias increased by 57% for every 1-point increase in mean perceived stress (OR1.57; 95% CI: 1.04, 2.4; P<0.03) or reduced by 38% for every 1-point increase in positive mood (OR0.62; 95% CI: 0.39, 0.98; P<0.04), after adjusting for age, gender, and vision. Similarly, the odds of experiencing photopsias during a session increased by 16% for every 3-point increase in perceived stress and decreased by 17% for every 3-point increase in positive mood, after adjusting for age and gender (OR1.16; 95% CI: 1.01, 1.33; P<0.048)(OR0.83; 95% CI: 0.73, 0.94; P<0.004), respectively. Frequency of photopsias was not statistically significantly related to other factors measured.ConclusionsIncreased photopsias appear to be related to times when subjects report increased perceived stress and/or decreased positive mood, rather than RP patients age, level of vision, reported light exposure, or sleepiness.
AB - PurposeWe measured the relationship between the occurrence of photopsias (spontaneous phosphenes), and retinitis pigmentosa (RP) subjects level of vision, light exposure, and psychosocial factors to attempt to confirm RP patients previous reports of these associations.MethodsA total of 36 RP subjects self-administered PC-based binocular visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, and visual field tests at home twice a week, for 16 sessions in 2-3 months. After each session, subjects reported photopsias during the vision tests and completed questionnaires: Epworth Sleepiness Scale, Stanford Sleepiness Scale, Perceived Stress Scale, and Positive and Negative Affect Schedules.ResultsAcross all subjects, photopsias occurred during 47% of sessions. Five (14%) subjects never noted photopsias, while five others noted photopsias at every session. Two-thirds of subjects experienced photopsias frequently (>20% of sessions). On average, the odds of noticing photopsias increased by 57% for every 1-point increase in mean perceived stress (OR1.57; 95% CI: 1.04, 2.4; P<0.03) or reduced by 38% for every 1-point increase in positive mood (OR0.62; 95% CI: 0.39, 0.98; P<0.04), after adjusting for age, gender, and vision. Similarly, the odds of experiencing photopsias during a session increased by 16% for every 3-point increase in perceived stress and decreased by 17% for every 3-point increase in positive mood, after adjusting for age and gender (OR1.16; 95% CI: 1.01, 1.33; P<0.048)(OR0.83; 95% CI: 0.73, 0.94; P<0.004), respectively. Frequency of photopsias was not statistically significantly related to other factors measured.ConclusionsIncreased photopsias appear to be related to times when subjects report increased perceived stress and/or decreased positive mood, rather than RP patients age, level of vision, reported light exposure, or sleepiness.
KW - flashes
KW - mood
KW - phosphenes
KW - photopsias
KW - retinitis pigmentosa
KW - stress
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U2 - 10.1038/eye.2011.247
DO - 10.1038/eye.2011.247
M3 - Article
C2 - 21997359
AN - SCOPUS:84855848274
SN - 0950-222X
VL - 26
SP - 101
EP - 108
JO - Eye
JF - Eye
IS - 1
ER -