Vision-related quality of life in corneal transplant recipients

Authors: Fardin Amiri, Shahrzad Ghiyasvandian, Hamid Haghani

Abstract

Introduction: vision-related quality of life is an important criterion in assessing the impact of therapeutic interventions and care on patients with eye diseases. The aim of this study was to determine vision-related quality of life and its dimensions in corneal transplant recipients.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out on clients who underwent penetrating keratoplasty in teaching hospital of Tehran in 2016. Data collection tools included a demographic questionnaire, satisfaction questionnaire and Persian version of the 39-item National Eye Institute Visual Functioning Questionnaire (NEI-VFQ 39). The data were analyzed using t-test, VFQ_39 analyze guidelines, Pearson correlation and SPSS software version 16.

Results: Composite score of vision-related quality of life in corneal transplant recipients was 54.39 ± 9.22 (32.9-71.01). The highest mean score among sub-scales was related to color vision (74.75 ± 27.63) and the lowest mean score was related to dependency (31.06 ± 31.02). There was an reverse correlation between age and the number of years after transplantation with vision-related quality of life. In addition, there was a significant difference in vision-related quality of life between men and women and also between unilateral compared to bilateral grafts. There was a high correlation between clients’ satisfaction with vision-related quality of life.

Conclusion: The vision-related quality of life score in corneal transplant recipients was lower than healthy people in society, and scores reported in similar studies conducted in other countries. The score of vision-related quality of life in corneal transplant recipients was nearly equal to all patients with chronic eye diseases in Iran. The highest and the lowest impact of corneal transplant were on color vision and dependency, respectively. Whereas a standard questionnaire was used in this study, the results can be compared with similar studies conducted in other countries to determine the causes of these differences between clients in order to perform more appropriate actions for improving vision-related quality of life in these clients.

 Key words: Corneal transplantation, Vision related quality of life, satisfaction