Vision-related quality of life and its related factors among older adults

Abstract

Background: Vision impairment (VI) becomes more common with age, which can negatively affect older adults' vision-related quality of life (VRQoL). Therefore, this study aimed to determine the status of VRQoL and its related factors among older adults. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2021 on 247 older adults in Yazd City, Iran, who were selected from Comprehensive Health Centers using multi-stage random sampling. Data was collected through an interview using a demographic information questionnaire, self-reported eye diseases, and the National Eye Institute Visual Functioning Questionnaire-25 (NEI VFQ-25). Data were analyzed using independent T-tests, one-way analysis of variance, and hierarchical regression analysis with SPSS software, considering a significance level of P < 0.05. Results: The most common age-related eye diseases (ARED) among participants were hyperopia (38.2%), cataract (35.5%), and myopia (31.3%). The participants' average VRQoL score was 85.37 ± 15.24 on a scale of 0 to 100. Univariate analysis showed that the VRQoL score was significantly related to age, marital status, use of glasses, and suffering from certain diseases and ARED (p<0.05). Hierarchical regression showed that demographics explained 25% of VRQoL variance, adding common diseases raised it to 51%, and including ARED increased it to 71% (all p<0.001). Diabetes (β = -0.15, p= 0.030), hypertension (β = -0.20, p= 0.009), and ARED (β = -0.62, p< 0.001) remained the most significant predictors of VRQoL in the model. Conclusion: The participants' VRQoL was at a favorable level. Given that VRQoL is affected by numerous factors like chronic diseases and VI, it's crucial for policymakers to consider these factors when planning interventions for the aging population. This includes prioritizing optometry services and the early diagnosis of VI.

Keywords: Aged, Eye diseases, Quality of life, Vision disorders, Ophthalmology