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Psychology Applied to Optometry. Course Syllabus. Psychology and visual health Non-version communication The visual exam Performance of the visual exam Giving bad news Difficult patients and managing complaints. THEME 1: PSYCHOLOGY AND VISUAL HEALTH. STRUCTURE OF THE THEME:
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Course Syllabus • Psychology and visual health • Non-version communication • The visual exam • Performance of the visual exam • Giving bad news • Difficult patients and managing complaints
THEME 1: PSYCHOLOGY AND VISUAL HEALTH STRUCTURE OF THE THEME: • The psychology of health • The prevention of illness • Biomedical model and biopsychosocial model • Psychological and social aspects relative to vision
THEME 1: PSYCHOLOGY AND VISUAL HEALTH • psychology of health HEALTH AND ILLNESS: • OMS (1964): state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being. It is not merely the absence of illness or ailment. • ILLNESS: Deviation from the state of good health
THEME 1: PSYCHOLOGY AND VISUAL HEALTH • Behavior when ill: the global response of the individual to illness. • Illness has a different meaning for every individual which can affect its evolution and even its appearance.
THEME 1: PSYCHOLOGY AND VISUAL HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY OF HEALTH: • Field of psychology that interrelates the physical and behavioral aspects of health and illness • Establishes recommendations for the interaction between healthcare professional and patient • Tries to clarify and explain why certain damaging behaviors, such as smoking, continue
THEME 1: PSYCHOLOGY AND VISUAL HEALTH Basic suppositions of the Psychology of Health • Certain behaviors increase the risk of contracting certain illnesses (behavior is a risk factor) • The modification of certain behavior can reduce the probability of contracting certain illnesses • Behavior can be changed relatively easily • Psychological interventions can be performed effectively with a favorable cost-benefit analysis
THEME 1: PSYCHOLOGICAL AND VISUAL HEALTH 2. The prevention of illness PREVENTION: • PRIMARY: behavioral strategies to prevent the appearance of illnesses still absent • SECONDARY: strategies to eliminate or control existing problems before they worsen • TERTIARY: strategies to reduce the probability of relapse in already treated conditions
THEME 1: PSYCHOLOGY AND VISUAL HEALTH 3. Biomedical model and biopsychosocial model a) BIOMEDICAL MODEL: physiological and physical aspects of illnesses • Pathologist • Reductionist • Curative • Mind-body division • Biological diagnosis • “Segmented” patient • External treatment of patient • Distant doctor-patient relationship
THEME 1: PSYCHOLOGY AND VISUAL HEALTH b) Biopsychosocial (Engels, 1977) • The line between health and illness is unclear • Doctors strive to maintain good health
THEME 1: PSYCHOLOGY AND VISUAL HEALTH EXAMPLE: treatement of a child with short-sightedness BIOMEDICAL MODEL BIOPSYCHOSOCIAL MODEL
THEME 1: PSYCHOLOGICAL AND VISUAL HEALTH BIOMEDICAL MODEL: • Cuantification of the refractive state • Eye exam • Advice on the most adequate glasses and lenses for the case
THEME 1: PSYCHOLOGY AND VISUAL HEALTH BIOPSYCHOSOCIAL MODEL: In addition to the previous tests: • Knowledge of the child’s behavioral guidelines in the familiy environment and at school • Posture while reading or writing • Illumination • Whether the child has learning disabilities or relationship problems with friends or classmates • Explain the usefulness of following a program of visual therapy • Direct the patient to other relevant professionals
THEME 1: PSYCHOLOGY AND VISUAL HEALTH 4. Psychological and social aspects relative to vision • Psychology: present in many university programs directed towards the science of health • In optometry, psychology is important for: • Optometrist-patient relationship • Successful termination of treatment • Patient anxiety • Special groups: dislexic children, the elderly, people with intellectual or aural disabilities
THEME 1: PSYCHOLOGY AND VISUAL HEALTH • Vision: coordinates the other senses • An important source of emotional expression
THEME 1: PSYCHOLOGY AND VISUAL HEALTH • Vision: coordinates the other senses • An important source of emotional expression
THEME 1: PSYCHOLOGY AND VISUAL HEALTH • Disconcertion upon failure of visual information • Glasses or contact lenses: alterations to self-image
THEME 1: PSYCHOLOGY AND VISUAL HEALTH IMPLICATIONS FOR THE OPTOMETRIST: • Stereotypes of those who wear glasses: • More intelligent • More honest • Less attractive (especially women) • First time they realize they need glasses: rejection, disability • Farsightedness: resistance • Children with glasses: beware!
THEME 1: PSYCHOLOGY AND VISUAL HEALTH • Poor vision, elderly people (visual degeneration). Potential recourse • Stereotypical blind person: solitary, destitute, dependent, depressed. Sudden loss of vision results in depression in 5-15% of cases Be careful with certain behaviors in front of blind people!