Vision-Related Quality of Life in Patients with Diabetic Retinopathy

Abstract

Aim: To evaluate the vision-related quality of life (QoL) in patients with diabetic retinopathy.

Study Design: A descriptive cross-sectional study.

Duration and Settings of the Study: Over a six-month period from June 2024 to December 2024 in the Department of Ophthalmology, Khyber Teaching Hospital Peshawar,.

Methods: Patients with diabetic retinopathy and aged above 18 years were included in the study using convenience sampling method. Participants with coexisting other ocular conditions or other neurological/psychological disorders, and those who had undergone recent ocular surgery were excluded. The National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire (NEI-VFQ-25) was used to assess vision-related quality of life, along with additional data on diabetes type and duration of diabetes.

Results: A total of 70 participants were recruited with a mean age of 58.93 ± 13.03 years and an average diabetes duration of 19.67 ± 5.42 years. Most of the participants 59 (84.3%) had Type 2 diabetes, and 36 (51.4%) were male. The overall mean QoL score was 34.33 ± 19.37. Stratification of QoL scores revealed no statistically significant differences across age, gender, diabetes type, or disease duration groups.

Conclusion: Diabetic retinopathy significantly affects the vision-related quality of life of diabetic patients, with older age and longer disease duration being associated with poorer QoL scores.