Quality of life in adults with strabismus

Am J Ophthalmol. 2015 Mar;159(3):539-44.e2. doi: 10.1016/j.ajo.2014.12.003. Epub 2014 Dec 9.

Abstract

Purpose: To assess relative quality of life in patients with strabismus.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Methods: The 25-item National Eye Institute Visual Functioning Questionnaire (NEI VFQ-25) was performed in 42 strabismic adults over the age of 50 years at a single institution. Subscale scores were compared with those of patients with other ocular diseases, including diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration (AMD), glaucoma, cataract, cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis, and low vision.

Results: Median visual acuity was 20/20 (range 20/12.5-20/50), and 34 patients (81%) reported diplopia. Strabismic patients performed the same or worse on nearly all vision-related subscales than did patients with diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, cataract, and CMV retinitis. Additionally, strabismic patients reported significantly worse ocular pain than all comparison groups before any surgery was performed.

Conclusions: Strabismus impacts quality of life through both functional and psychosocial factors. Physicians treating strabismic patients should recognize these quality-of-life issues and address them accordingly.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Cataract / psychology
  • Cohort Studies
  • Cytomegalovirus Retinitis / psychology
  • Diabetic Retinopathy / psychology
  • Female
  • Glaucoma / psychology
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Quality of Life / psychology*
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Sickness Impact Profile
  • Strabismus / psychology*
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Vision, Low / psychology
  • Visual Acuity