Abstract
Purpose :
To evaluate the quality of life of patients with visual impairment and blindness attending a low-vision rehabilitation service in Londrina City, Brazil.
Methods :
A Cross-sectional observational study was performed evaluating patients attending a low-vison rehabilitation service in Londrina City, Brazil, during 2017. A quality of life questionnaire (WHOQOL -BRIEF) instrument was applied. The participants were evaluated according to age, gender, visual impairment characteristics, ocular findings and questionnaire answers (physical, psychological, social relations and environment health domains). The data were submitted to statistical analysis.
Results :
84 patients were evaluated. The average age was 48,8 years; 58,3% were male and 41,7% female. Bilateral blindness (VA<0,05) was observed in 94%, subnormal vision (VA<0,3) in 6% and 78,6% presented visual impairment for more than 10 years. Congenital ocular diseases as cause of visual impairment occurred in 42,9%; and the main causes observed were retinopathies (62%), glaucoma (16,7%), and neuropathies (13%). The scores of physical and environment health domains were lower in patients older than 60 years-old (p<0,05). The four domains scores were higher for patients who presented visual impairment for more than 10 years and also for those who accompanied at the Institute for more than 10 years (<0,05). Cause and level of visual impairment was not statistically significant.
Conclusions :
Younger patients, longer visual impairment carriers and longer follow-up at a low-vision rehabilitation service are associated to a better quality of life.
This is an abstract that was submitted for the 2018 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Honolulu, Hawaii, April 29 - May 3, 2018.