Comprehensive assessment of the quality of life of patients with glaucoma when using various methods of treatment

Background. Research and maintenance of an acceptable quality of life is considered to be the main aim of treating chronic incurable disease including glaucoma.The aim. To perform a comprehensive assessment of the quality of life of patients with glaucoma when using various types of surgical and conservative treatment before treatment and 1 month after treatment.Material and methods. We carried out a randomized controlled study which included 229 patients, divided into 2 groups. The first group of patients (133 people) received various types of surgical intervention for glaucoma, consisted of 6 subgroups. They had the following types of surgeries: sinus trabeculectomy with the use of “Glautex” drainage implant; classical sinus trabeculectomy; sinus trabeculectomy with implantation of drainage made of a collagen hemostatic foam; transscleral laser cyclocoagulation of the ciliary body; cataract phacoemulsification in comorbid primary open-angle glaucoma and in primary closed-angle glaucoma. The second group consisted of 96 patients who received conservative treatment; it consisted of 4 subgroups. Patients of subgroups of the 2nd group received various types of conservative therapy against the background of local antihypertensive therapy: complex treatment with the use of vasoprotectives, vitamins, nootropics in a hospital setting; neuroprotective therapy in the form of Retinalamin intramuscular injection. After receiving informed voluntary consent to participate in the study, all patients underwent a comprehensive assessment of the quality of life using universal, specific and psychological questionnaires (SF-36, visual analogue scale, EQ-5D, VFQ-25, GQL-15, VF-14 and HADS) before treatment and 1 month after treatment.Results. The therapy had a positive effect on the quality of life in both groups of patients, however the most pronounced positive dynamics is registered in patients having conservative therapy as compared with those having surgical treatment. The use of valid, reliable questionnaires makes it possible to fully assess the quality of life in glaucoma.