Yoga for Persons With Severe Visual Impairment

This study aims to provide novel information on the feasibility of yoga interventions for secondary symptoms related to severe vision loss, such as sleep disturbances, negative mood states, fall risk and balance. This information will be important for determining safe, cost-effective and reliable practices for the benefits of yoga as an alternative means for improved health and well-being. A yoga intervention that is integrative and evidence-based will benefit the blind population through effective treatments and prevention of secondary symptoms as well as serve to inform rehabilitation specialists, educators, and clinicians in the future.

Inclusion criteria

• Age 18+
• Legal blindness (visual acuity worse than 20/200 but better than no/bare light perception, and/or visual field less than 20º, in the better eye)
• Any ocular disease diagnosis that is expected to remain relatively stable throughout a 3-6 month period
• Being healthy to the extent that participation yoga therapy would not exacerbate any existing disease conditions;
• Willingness to participate on a weekly basis for the 12-week intervention;
• Moderate to severe sleep disturbances, defined as ratings of 5 or greater on the PSQI

Exclusion criteria

• Significant changes to vision within the most recent 3-month period
• Inability to understand study procedures or communicate responses to visual stimuli in a consistent manner
• Clinically diagnosed or clinically significant sleep disorder (e.g., sleep apnea) or a medical or psychiatric condition (e.g., chronic pain) responsible for sleep complaints;
• Use of prescription sleep medication more than once a week for duration of the study;
• Use of other psychotropic medication;
• Current recipient of sleep disorder treatment;
• Consumption of more than 2-3 alcoholic beverages per day
• Smoking more than 10 cigarettes per day;