Quality of life assessment in ocular toxoplasmosis in a Colombian population.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the quality of life in patients with ocular toxoplasmosis.

METHODS

The participants were 29 otherwise healthy patients with retinochoroidal lesions consistent with Toxoplasma infection. The controls were 29 gender and age-matched people with normal visual function who came from the same socioeconomic and educational background as the participants. The authors used the version of the National Eye Institute 25-item visual function questionnaire (NEI VFQ25).

RESULTS

Patients with ocular toxoplasmosis had statistically significant lower scores than controls for all the subscales, except for color vision. Patients with bilateral lesions were more affected in the mental health, difficulties role, and specific vision subscales. The median of the compound score for the participants was 79 (range 35-99) and for the controls was 95 (range 72-98).

CONCLUSIONS

People with ocular toxoplasmosis have worse vision-related quality of life than people without the condition, especially if they have bilateral lesions and more recurrences.