Research on the Quality of Life of Glaucoma Patients

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To compare subjective quality of life (QOL) of a glaucoma group with a control group. METHODS: The Korean version of the National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire 25 (NEI-VFQ-25) was completed by 105 glaucoma clinic patients including 54 glaucoma group and 56 control group. We compared questionnaire scores and previous performed visual field parameters between a glaucoma group and a control group. RESULTS: The glaucoma group results were Mean age 55.73 +/- 15.17 years; mean best corrected visual acuity (BCVA; log MAR) 0.05 +/- 0.09 in better eyes and 0.06 +/- 0.09 in worse eyes; and mean intraocular pressure (IOP) 15.94 +/- 2.93 mm Hg in better eyes and 15.49 +/- 3.18 mm Hg in worse eyes. Control group scores were Mean age 51.85 +/- 11.36 years; mean BCVA (log MAR) 0.04 +/- 0.07 in better eyes and 0.06 +/- 0.08 in worse eyes; and mean IOP 16.40 +/- 2.50 mm Hg in better eyes and 16.13 +/- 2.16 mm Hg in worse eyes. Age, BCVA, and IOP were not significantly different between groups, but visual field index (VFI) score and visual function questionnaire (NEI-VFQ-25) total score were significantly lower in the glaucoma group (p < 0.01). Additionally, visual field parameters and QOL had a significant relationship in the glaucoma group, especially in better eyes. CONCLUSIONS: The QOL of glaucoma patients was lower than that of normal controls regardless of visual acuity. The degree of visual field loss in the better eye may affect QOL more significantly.