A Correlation Study of Visual Function and Health-Related Quality of Life in Glaucoma Patients

Glaucoma is one of the most prevalent causes of blindness in Taiwan. It may affect quality of life in several ways. These include decreased visual function, psychological effect of fear of blindness, the potential side effects of treatment, financial burden of the cost of visits and therapy. Changes in quality of life are essential measures of glaucoma, in addition to intraocular pressure, optic disc, and visual field; in the meantime, they are also the important guidelines of treatments for glaucoma.
The purposes of this study were to explore the possible factors associated with glaucoma patients’ quality of life, and evaluate the relationship between visual function and patients’ perception of their health related QOL as well as vision related QOL.
The study sample was 280 patients with glaucoma undergoing follow-up in one regional hospital in Taipei from April 1st, 2005 to September 30th, 2005. Demographic data, clinical characteristics and the status of treatment were collected. The questionnaire used contains the Taiwan (Chinese) versions of SF-36, NEIVFQ-25 modules to investigate the health related QOL.
Important results of this study were as follow:
1.Part of demographic characteristics of glaucoma patients were associated with their health related QOL.
2.Part of clinical characteristics of glaucoma patients were associated with their health related QOL.
3.Part of the status of treatment of glaucoma patients were associated with their health related QOL.
4.8 subscales of SF-36 and 12 subscales of NEIVFQ-25 demonstrated a negative correlation with 6 variables of visual function. 9 subscales of NEIVFQ-25 were moderately correlated with variables of visual function(r=-0.4~-0.69). However, only 2 subscales of SF-36 were moderately correlated with variables of visual function(r=-0.4~-0.69).
In conclusion, we suggest that physicians could explore the relationship between patients' perception of visual disability from glaucoma and quality of life by means of questionnaires. The results can be used as a reference when adjusting therapy for glaucoma.