Authors: Hyunsoo Jang, Brian Yu, David Tingey, Michael Motolko, Tony Lin, Ian MacIlraith, Yiannis Iordanous, Larry Allen, Akshya Vasudev, Ronnie Newman, Rookaya Mather, Cindy Hutnik, Monali Malvankar. University of Western Ontario.

Author Disclosure Block:H. Jang: None. B. Yu: None. D. Tingey: None. M. Motolko: None. T. Lin: None. I. MacIlraith: None. Y. Iordanous: None. L. Allen: None. A. Vasudev: None. R. Newman: None. R. Mather: None. C. Hutnik: None. M. Malvankar: None.

Abstract Body:

Purpose: To investigate the effects of Art of Meditation (AOM) on depression, anxiety, sleep quality, and community integration on patients with glaucoma.
Study Design: Convenience sampling pilot feasibility study
Methods: Glaucoma patients from the Ivey Eye Institute at St. Joseph's Hospital were recruited to participate in the study. Fourteen participants were recruited to standard treatment (ST) group, and another fourteen participants were recruited to ST with Art of Meditation (AOM) group. Participants in the AOM group received instructions for AOM and were asked to perform meditation regularly by themselves while undergoing their usual glaucoma treatments. Visual Function Questionnaire (VFQ-25), Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), State and Trait Anxiety Index (STAI), Community Integration Questionnaire (CIQ), and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) were administered at baseline and week-24 follow-up.
Results: Changes in depression (p = 0.0019) and sleep quality (p = 0.004) were significantly different between the control group and the intervention group. The intervention group showed reduction in depression compared the control group. Anxiety symptoms reduced in the intervention group compared to the control group; however, this difference was not significant. Differences in community integration and visual function quality of life were not significant between the two groups.
Conclusions: Art of meditation reduces depressive and anxiety symptoms and sleep disfunctions in patients with glaucoma. Future studies with greater sample sizes needs to be conducted to make strong conclusions.