A Study on the Relation between Glaucoma and Quality of Life.

Yoon, Gil Joong; Kim, Doek Bae; Yang, Phl Joong; Kim, Ki Soon

Original Article

Journal of the Korean Ophthalmological Society 2003;44(2):472-484.
Published online February 1, 2003.

A Study on the Relation between Glaucoma and Quality of Life.

Gil Joong Yoon, Doek Bae Kim, Phl Joong Yang, Ki Soon Kim

¹Happy Eye Clinic, Korea. kjyoun@happyeye.co.kr
²Department of Ophthalmology, Chosun University College of Medicine, Korea.
³Department of Preventive Medicine, Chosun University College of Medicine, Korea.

녹내장이 삶의 질에 미치는 영향에 관한 연구

윤길중 ( Gil Joong Yoon ) , 김덕배 ( Doek Bae Kim ) , 양필중 ( Phl Joong Yang ) , 김기순 ( Ki Soon Kim )

Abstract

PURPOSE
This study was performed to find the relation between glaucoma and the quality of life (QOL). METHODS: The questionnaire survey and ophthalmologic examination was made in 105 glaucoma patients under treatment at ophthalmology clinic of a university hospital and 120 normal persons who had undergone an routine health check-up from June 1st, 2000 and June 30th, 2001. The questionnaire was composed of general characteristics, health-related behavior and the short form-36 health survey for QOL. Using the t-test, analysis of variance (ANOVA), Pearson's correlation analysis and analysis of co-variance (ANCOVA), we examined the relationship between glaucoma and QOL. RESULTS: 1. By t-test or ANOVA various domains of QOL showed statistically significant difference by sex, age, coverage of medical insurance, family history of glaucoma, past history of systemic diseases, educational level, marital status, smoking and drinking status. Visual acuity showed significant positive correlation with QOL and horizontal and vertical cup-to-disk (C/D) ratio showed significant negative correlation with QOL. 2. By ANCOVA to find the association of glaucoma with QOL controlling other related characteristics of subjects, QOL of the glaucoma group showed lower than that of the normal group, but the differences were not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: QOL of glaucoma patients was lower than that of normal persons without glaucoma considering sex, age, health insurance system, family history of glaucoma, past history of systemic disease, educational level, marital status, smoking status, drinking status and visual acuity, so further study will be necessary to observe the change of QOL according to progression of glaucoma and treatment status.

Key Words: Glaucoma;Quality of Life;Visual acuity