Impact on caregivers of patients with eye diseases: systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

Objective: The burden on caregivers of patients with eye disease is exacerbated by competing priorities and their own advancing age. The objective of this paper is to identify and characterize the burden of caregiving for patients with eye diseases.

Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Methods: A comprehensive review of the literature was conducted accessing the main databases up to March 25, 2021: Medline (Ovid), Embase, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, PsycINFO, and PubMed. Studies included referred to the burden experienced by caregivers of adults with any eye disease. Review studies, editorials, commentaries, opinion studies, and single case reports were excluded as well as studies that described only the quality of life and (or) burdens of the care recipient. Two independent reviewers carried 2-level screening. Risk of bias assessment was determined according to the Modified Downs and Black Checklist. Demographic data and measures of burden were extracted and tabulated.

Results: In total, 2421 articles were identified after duplicate removal; 17 progressed to data extraction after full-text screening, and 7 were included in the meta-analysis. Overall, caregiving was associated with significant burden (65%; 95% CI, 12%-17%). Meta-analysis indicated significant severe burden (24%; 95% CI, 3%-45%), moderate burden (18%; 95% CI, 9%-28%), and mild burden (34%; 95% CI, 7%-61%) on caregivers of visually impaired patients.

Conclusions: Awareness of the psychosocial impact and risk of severe burden experienced by caregivers of eye disease patients is required to aid health care providers to develop proactive interventions for both providers and recipients of care.