Study of visual disability by diabetes mellitus type 2 in the elderly

Abstract

Visual impairment affects a large part of the older adult population. These diseases are usually secondary ocular or systemic and congenital or idiopathic secondary pathologies, including presbyopia, cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy. The objective of this work was to find out the experiences, perspectives and meanings that older adults with visual disability have for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Using a qualitative methodology with intentional sampling, in-depth interviews were conducted, following the ethical principles for health research. The phenomenon of disability showed five dimensions: economic impact due to diagnosis, experiences of mourning before T2DM, experiences of self-care (alternative treatment, pharmacological treatment and reflections on the value to the treatment), impact (economic, emotional and social) and experiences with disability and feelings of dependence vs. disability. These dimensions provided the necessary elements to make a guide in comprehensive care.