[Evaluation of the quality of life of patients fitted with scleral lenses using a Moroccan version of NEI-VFQ 25]

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate the contribution of scleral lenses in terms of improving quality of life and vision.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of the quality of life (QOL) of patients fitted with scleral lenses, between November 2015 and November 2016 in the Marrakech university hospital department of ophthalmology. QOL was assessed before and after scleral lens (ICD) adaptation using a version of the National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire 25 translated into the Moroccan dialect of Arabic.

Results: We included 48 patients (68 eyes). The main indications included severe corneal ectasia followed by post-keratoplasty eyes, post-traumatic corneas and patients with ocular surface disease. The average duration of scleral lens wear was 6 months, and the average wearing time was 12hours per day. BCVA increased from 0.8 to 0.2±0.5 LOGMAR. The average scores on the NEI-VFQ 25 of patients after scleral lens fitting were significantly higher, 80.5 versus 42.6 before wearing scleral lenses, thus an increase of 38.1.

Discussion: Quality of life has become a major issue in the healthcare field, which has seen a renewed interest in ophthalmology lately. The results of our study support the data from previous studies regarding the impact of scleral lenses on the quality of life of patients.

Conclusion: High oxygen permeability scleral lenses are a satisfying therapeutic alternative, allowing a significant improvement in the quality of life of patients for whom the usual therapeutic means are limited.

Keywords: Corneal ectasia; Keratoplasty; Kératoplastie; NEI-VFQ 25; Ocular surface disease; Pathologie de la surface oculaire; Quality of life; Qualité de vie; Scleral lenses; Taie de cornée post-traumatique; Traumatic cornea; Verres scléraux; Éctasie cornéenne.