Jornal de Oftalmologia Clínica e Experimental
Acesso livre

Abstrato

Vision Related Quality of Life among Cataract Patients Attending Cataract Surgery Campaigns in Ethiopia: A Dual Centre Study

Dereje Hayilu Anbesse, Zewdu Yenegeta Bizuneh*, Girum W-Gessesse, Mulugeta Ayana Mengistu

Introduction: Cataract is multifactorial lens opacity in which its main risk factor is aging. It is the leading cause of blindness worldwide and also in Ethiopia. The impact of visual impairment due to cataract affects the quality of life of an individual by increasing depression, social isolation, increased risk of falls and fractures, poor general wellbeing, increased risk of dependency and finally mortality, in which little is known in Ethiopia. The aim of this study was targeted to determine the vision related quality of life of adults with cataract in Ethiopia.

Methods: An institutional based cross sectional design study with convenient sampling technique was conducted to select 209 patients from June to August 2019. The data regarding vision related quality of life was collected using the national eye institute visual function questionnaires-25 (NEI-VFQ-25) which was adopted in the local system. Binary Logistic Regression (BLR) was used to determine the significant variables associated with vision related quality of life. P-value less than 0.05 were used to declare the significance.

Results: Male participants accounts more than half 111 (53.1%) and more than three fourth 166 (79.4%) were above 50 years of age. Based on presenting visual acuity of better Seeing Eye, about 76 (36.4) have moderate visual impairment. About 149 (71.3%) participants were presented with mature cataract and about 97 (46.4%) have bilateral cataract. About 111 (53.1%) with 95%CI of (46.4, 59.8) of the participants have poor vision related quality of life. Study participants with age greater than 50 years (AOR=2.24; 95%CI (1.03, 4.87)); subjects with severe visual impairment (AOR=1.59; 95%CI (1.52, 4.83)) and study subjects with bilateral cataract (AOR=2.38; 95%CI (1.62, 6.26)) were significant factors associated with poor quality of life.

Conclusion: Greater than half of the study population has poor quality of life. Age, family size, degree of visual impairment and laterality of cataract were found to affect the quality of life of cataract patients in this study.