Characterizing Longitudinal Changes in Fear of Falling and Quality of Life in Patients with Varying Levels of Visual Field Damage

Purpose

To investigate the relationship between baseline visual field (VF) severity and rates of visual field loss with changes in quality of life (QoL) and fear of falling (FoF) in adults with glaucoma.

Methods

Prospective cohort study, including participants from the Falls In Glaucoma Study. Quality of life and FoF were assessed annually using the Glaucoma Quality of Life-15 Questionnaire, and the University of Illinois at Chicago FoF Questionnaire, respectively, with higher Rasch-analyzed scores (in logits) indicating better QoL and greater FoF. Mean deviation (MD) values of each eye were collected, with better-eye MD taken as the primary exposure. Change rates in better-eye MD, QoL, and FoF were computed using linear regression. Separate regression models were employed to explore the relationship between baseline better-eye MD and its rate of change with rates of change in QoL and FoF.

Results

The mean (standard deviation) rate of change in better-eye MD was −0.08 dB/year (0.5), rate of QoL change was −0.08 logits/year (0.4), and rate of FoF change was 0.16 logits/year (0.7). At baseline, better-eye MD (per dB worse) was significantly associated with worse baseline QoL (β = −0.10 logits [95% confidence interval [CI]: −0.13, −0.08]) and greater FoF (β = 0.06 logits [95% CI: 0.01, 0.10]). Baseline better-eye MD was associated with no significant change in QoL ( −0.004 logits/year, 95% CI: −0.02, 0.01) or FoF (–0.0001 logits/year, 95% CI: −0.02, 0.02) over time. Change rates in better-eye MD showed significant associations with faster increases in FoF over time (β = 0.26 logits/year [95% CI: 0.06, 0.45]; per dB loss/year), but not with changes in QoL (P = 0.79).

Conclusions

Patients with glaucoma generally showed worsening of QoL and FoF over time, though the degree of change was modest and not related to the degree of damage at baseline. Faster rates of better-eye MD change alone were associated with faster increases in FoF. Further studies are needed to evaluate the reasons (visual and nonvisual) for changes in QoL and functionality over time and find ways in which QoL and mobility can be improved for those with VF damage.

Financial Disclosures

Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found in the Footnotes and Disclosures at the end of this article.