The Impact of Location of Progressive Visual Field Loss on Longitudinal Changes in Quality of Life of Patients with Glaucoma.

PURPOSE

To evaluate the association between rates of progressive loss in different regions of the visual field and longitudinal changes in quality of life (QoL).

DESIGN

Prospective, observational cohort study.

PARTICIPANTS

The study included 236 patients with glaucomatous visual field loss followed for an average of 4.3±1.5 years.

METHODS

All subjects had the 25-item National Eye Institute Visual Functioning Questionnaire (NEI VFQ-25) performed annually and standard automated perimetry (SAP) at 6-month intervals. Subjects were included if they had a minimum of 2 NEI VFQ-25 and 5 SAP tests during follow-up. Evaluation of rates of visual field change was performed using 4 different regions (central inferior, central superior, peripheral inferior, and peripheral superior) of the integrated binocular visual field. The association between change in NEI VFQ-25 Rasch-calibrated scores and change in different regions of the visual field was investigated with a joint multivariable longitudinal linear mixed model.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

The relationship between change in QoL scores and change of mean sensitivity in different regions of the visual field.

RESULTS

There was a significant correlation between change in the NEI VFQ-25 Rasch scores during follow-up and change in different regions of the visual field. Each 1 decibel (dB)/year change in binocular mean sensitivity of the central inferior area was associated with a decline of 2.6 units/year in the NEI VFQ-25 scores (R(2) = 35%; P < 0.001). Corresponding associations with change in QoL scores for the peripheral inferior, central superior, and peripheral superior areas of the visual field had R(2) values of 30%, 24%, and 19%, respectively. The association for the central inferior visual field area was statistically significantly stronger than those of the central superior area (P = 0.011) and peripheral superior area (P = 0.001), but not the peripheral inferior area (P = 0.171). Greater declines in NEI VFQ-25 scores were also seen in patients who had worse visual field sensitivity at baseline.

CONCLUSIONS

Progressive decline in sensitivity in the central inferior area of the visual field had the strongest association with longitudinal decline in QoL of patients with glaucoma.