Sensory deprivation and the ophthalmic patient

1. Ophthalmic patients with reduced visual acuity and mobility restrictions are potentially at risk for developing cognitive, sensory and behavioral disturbances with sensory deprivation. 2. Each individual has an optimum level of stimulation that varies with circumstances such as age, time of day, amount of recent stimulation, anxiety, fatigue, pain, or illness. The body strives to maintain a homeostatic balance of stimulation. 3. Sensory stimuli must be meaningful, varied, and of sufficient quantity and intensity to maintain arousal. 4. Nursing care of ophthalmic patients should include individual assessment of the appropriateness of environmental stimuli, and plans to prevent sensory deprivation experiences or alleviate symptoms if they occur.