Ocular surface disease and quality of life in patients with glaucoma.

PURPOSE: To investigate the relationship between ocular surface disease and glaucoma-related quality of life (QoL), glaucoma severity, and treatment in patients with open-angle glaucoma.

DESIGN: Cross-sectional study.

SETTING: Clinical practice.

STUDY POPULATION: One hundred twenty-four participants-patients with mild (n = 48), moderate (n = 34), or severe (n = 19) glaucoma and 23 controls (glaucoma suspects) not receiving glaucoma treatment-were enrolled. Severity was stratified according to binocular visual field loss. OBSERVED PROCEDURES: Demographic information, the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI), and Glaucoma Quality of Life-15 (GQL-15) questionnaires were administered.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: OSDI score, GQL-15 score, number and type of glaucoma medications, daily dose of benzalkonium chloride (BAK), and visual field indices.

RESULTS: OSDI scores and the number of patients with OSD increased with increasing glaucoma severity (P < .001 and P < .005). GQL-15 scores reflected decreased QoL with increasing glaucoma severity (P < .001). These trends were maintained after sub-stratification for age and sex. On univariate regression OSDI was significantly correlated with GQL-15 summary score, glaucoma severity, multiple topical glaucoma medications, worse eye mean deviation and pattern standard deviation, use of topical beta blockers, topical carbonic anhydrase inhibitors, daily dose of BAK, and glaucoma filtration surgery. On multivariate regression GQL-15 summary score (odds ratio [OR] 4.14, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.59-6.63, P < .001) and a daily dose of BAK greater than 3 (OR 2.47, 95% CI 1.17-5.21, P = .018) were predictive of OSDI score.

CONCLUSIONS: OSD is more common in patients with increasing glaucoma severity and is associated with poorer glaucoma-related QoL and higher exposure to BAK.