A prospective, longitudinal, observational cohort study examining how glaucoma affects quality of life and visually-related function over 4 years: design and methodology

BMC Ophthalmol. 2015 Aug 1:15:91. doi: 10.1186/s12886-015-0088-x.

Abstract

Background: The aim of this study is to summarize the design and methodology of a prospective, longitudinal, observational cohort study to investigate how glaucoma affects patients' quality of life and visually-related function over a 4-year period.

Methods/design: One hundred sixty-one (161) subjects were enrolled in this ongoing study. Patients between the ages of 21-85 years with a minimum 2-year diagnosis of primary open-angle glaucoma, chronic primary angle-closure glaucoma or pseudoexfoliation glaucoma were included. Each patient visited Wills Eye Hospital for a baseline visit. Follow-up is planned for a minimum of 4 years, with annual visits. Each visit includes (1) Clinical evaluation: a slit lamp examination, fundoscopy, intraocular pressure measurement, visual field examination, spectral domain optical coherence tomography, Pelli-Robson Contrast Sensitivity test and the Spaeth-Richman Contrast Sensitivity test; (2) a performance based measure: the Compressed Assessment of Ability Related to Vision; and (3) Subjective measures of vision-related quality of life (the National Eye Institute Visual Functioning Questionnaire 25 and the Modified Glaucoma Symptom Scale).

Discussion: The results of this ongoing, prospective, longitudinal study are expected to shed light on the relationships between clinical measures, performance-based measures and subjective measures of well-being, in order to assess changes in the quality of life and the ability to function of patients with glaucoma over time.

Publication types

  • Observational Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Contrast Sensitivity / physiology*
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Glaucoma, Angle-Closure / physiopathology
  • Glaucoma, Angle-Closure / psychology*
  • Glaucoma, Open-Angle / physiopathology
  • Glaucoma, Open-Angle / psychology*
  • Humans
  • Intraocular Pressure / physiology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Ophthalmoscopy
  • Prospective Studies
  • Quality of Life / psychology*
  • Research Design
  • Sickness Impact Profile
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Vision Tests
  • Visual Acuity / physiology
  • Young Adult