The Impact of Visual Impairment on Quality of Life

Abstract

Our goal was to identify and describe factors relating to quality of life (QOL) in subjects with low vision and blindness in Iran's Sistan and Baluchestan Province. This cross-sectional study was carried out in randomly selected subjects with vision disability who were covered by the Zahedan Welfare Organization in Zahedan, Iran. The following factors related to visual impairment were evaluated: visual field (VF), visual acuity (VA), and stereopsis. Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire and the Influence of Vision Impairment (IVI) questionnaire. One-hundred and twenty-one patients were enrolled for participation in the study. T-test analyses indicated that the mean QOL score for women was significantly lower than that for men (P < 0.001). Mann-Whitney U tests indicated that mean social (P = 0.003) and leisure (P = 0.009) QOL scores were significantly lower in participants without stereopsis. In addition, participants with tunnel vision scored lower on the mobility and self-care categories (P < 0.001) than others. The results of this study indicate that providing education, providing employment, improving, and expanding social programs for the blind and individuals with low vision people, especially women, are necessary.

Keywords: Quality of Life; Stereopsis; Visual Acuity (VA); Visual Field (VF); Visual Impairment; Zahedan.