Abstract
Purpose: :
To assess the quality of life (QoL) in glaucoma patients and to investigate the influence of the degree of the disease on QoL.
Methods: :
One hundred and ten subjects were included in this cross-sectional study. All received a complete ophthalmic examination including refraction, anterior and posterior segment assessment, nerve fiber layer measurements with SD-OCT and 24-2 SITA standard Humprey visual fields. Participants gave informed consent and performed 3 different QoL questionnaires: 1) the Euroqol EQ5D (global QoL); 2) the Visual Function Questionaire 25 (VFQ25, related to visual function); and the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI, QoL related to ocular signs and symptoms of surface disease). OSDI varies from 0 (no symptoms or signs) to 100, with higher scores representing greater disability. 16 were normal subjects with normal fields l discs and OCT. 95 were glaucoma patients with intraocular pressure over 21 mmHg, abnormal fields, abnormal OCT and glaucomatous discs. The degree of glaucoma was classified according to the visual field mean defect (MD): early (> -6 dB); moderate (-6.1 to -15dB) and advanced (<-15.1dB)
Results: :
: The global scale of EQ5D was very similar in normal subjects (70.6±13.2) than in early glaucoma (71.0±19.0), moderate glaucoma (71.5±15.6) and advanced glaucoma (67.8±21.6). But EQ5D identified significant differences in particular aspects of QoL (Fisher's exact test, p<0.05): mobility was more restricted, patients had more difficulties for everyday care and activities, pain was more present and anxiety was more frequent among glaucoma patients than in normal subjects.OSDI tended to be greater in early glaucomas (51.3±28.1) and moderate glaucomas (52.4±33.2) than in normal subjects (38.5±35.0).
Conclusions: :
Patients with glaucoma have worse global QoL according to EQ5D and worse visual function related QoL (VFQ25 questionnaires) than normal subjects.
Keywords: quality of life