Association between Vision-related Quality of Life and Mental Health Status among Glaucoma Patients in a Tertiary Care Hospital, Uttar Pradesh, India: A Cross-sectional Study

Abstract

Introduction: Glaucoma is a chronic, progressive optic neuropathy that can lead to blindness. It is a multifactorial disorder, with elevated Intraocular Pressure (IOP) being one of the modifiable risk factors. Glaucoma affects the emotional and psychological wellbeing of patients, even in the early stages of the disease, impacting their Quality of Life (QoL). Aim: To assess the association between vision-related QoL and mental health status among glaucoma patients. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted on 110 glaucoma patients aged 18 to 70 years who were residents of Barabanki district, Uttar Pradesh, India from September 2023 to December 2023. Glaucoma severity was graded based on mean deviation measured by visual field testing. Anxiety and depression levels were graded using the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A) and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D). QoL was assessed using the Glaucoma QoL15 questionnaire. Data analysis was performed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 27.0, and the association between different variables was examined using Chi-square, Fisher’s exact test, and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) test. A p-value of <0.05 was considered significant. Results: Among the 110 participants, 47 (42.7%) were females and 63 (57.3%) were males, with an average age of 52.6±12.2 years. 56 (50.9%) had moderate anxiety, and 59 (53.6%) had moderate levels of depression. QoL factors assessed included peripheral vision, dark adaptation and glare, central and near vision, and outdoor mobility. Statistically significant differences were observed between different severity levels of glaucoma (p-value<0.05) in relation to these factors. A comparison of glaucoma severity, anxiety level, and depression level with QoL revealed a significant difference (p-value<0.001). Conclusion: Glaucoma impacts the mental health status of patients by causing anxiety and depression, as well as affecting their QoL. As the severity of glaucoma increases, anxiety and depression levels rise, while QoL decreases.