Correlation between Health-related Quality of Life scores and measures of visual function in an Abuja cohort of Primary Open Angle Glaucoma patients

Background: This study aims to correlate quality of life measures with visual function parameters and to determine the visual function parameters that independently affect the quality of Life in primary open-angle glaucoma patients (POAG) in Abuja.

Methodology: A cross-sectional study was carried out among 106 POAG patients attending Asokoro District Hospital, Abuja and Eye Foundation Hospital, Abuja, from Nov 2012 to April 2013. National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire 25 (NEIVFQ25) and Glaucoma Symptom Scale (GSS) were used to assess Quality of Life (QoL) after biodata was obtained. The objective measures of visual function assessed include visual acuity (VA), contrast sensitivity (CS), colour vision (CV) and visual fields (Mean Deviation). Data were analyzed using SPSS Version 20 using Spearman Rho Correlation and linear regression.

Results: There was a strong correlation between the NEIVFQ25 scores and all the measures of visual function. There was also a strong correlation between GSS and contrast sensitivity in both eyes and mean deviation of the better eye while the others showed a moderate correlation with the scale. On multivariate analysis of the NEIVFQ25 scores by visual function, the independent visual functions that affect the NEIVFQ25 QoL measures were the visual acuity better eye and contrast sensitivity better eye. Contrast sensitivity in the better eye had a stronger correlation than visual acuity in the better eye. On multivariate analysis of GSS scores by visual function parameters, contrast sensitivity in the better and worse eye were the independent visual function parameters that affect the GSS. The contrast sensitivity of the better eye had a stronger correlation with NEIVFQ25 and GSS.

Conclusion: The study revealed the impact of contrast sensitivity on the quality of life and glaucoma symptoms the patients have. It is important that measures of contrast sensitivity be incorporated into evaluating glaucoma patients.