The Relation Between Quality of Life and Visual Functioning in Patients with Glaucoma

Objective: To assess visual functions and quality of life (QoL) in patients with glaucoma. Material and Methods: The sample consisted of 103 patients with primary open angle glaucoma and 50 controls. Each subject underwent bilateral ophthalmologic examination and was then evaluated by a psychiatrist. QoL was assessed using the 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36). Results: SF-36 physical functioning, role limitation due to physical health (role-physical), bodily pain, general health, social functioning and mental health domain scores were significantly lower in the patient group than in the control group. SF-36 physical functioning, role-physical and limitation due to emotional health (role-emotional), social functioning domain scores were positively correlated with right and left eye visual acuity while bodily pain was correlated with left eye visual acuity and vitality and general health perception domain scores with right eye visual acuity (p<0.05). A statistically significant difference between the left eye perimetric stage and SF-6 and SF-7 was found when the patients' left perimetric stage and SF-36 sub-scales were compared (p<0.05). Conclusion: Our study shows that QoL should also be taken into consideration in patients with glaucoma.