Posters

Health-related quality of life of keratoconic patients subjected to the Athens protocol treatment

Poster Details

First Author: F.Tzani GREECE

Co Author(s):    A. Kanellopoulos   K. Stamatiadou           

Abstract Details

Purpose:

To evaluate the Health-Related Quality of life before and after the management of post-LASIK ectasia with Combined Topography-Guided Transepithelial PRK and collagen Cross-Linking: the Athens Protocol.

Setting:

Laservision.gr Clinical and Research Eye Institute, Athens Greece

Methods:

34 patients (age 15 to 51 years, 25 male, 09 female) treated for progressive keratoconus were randomly selected for retrospective telephone interview and individual questionnaire submission. A disease-specific health-related quality of life (HRQoL) questionnaire was administered before and after the Athens Protocol intervention. The administrative questionnaires NEI VFQ 25/39 and IVI-28 were applied. Reliability of collected data was evaluated with Cronbach’s Alpha test. Amsler-Krumeich Classification (keratoconus severity) and Visual acuity (pre-operative) were used as criterion to form two groups, Group-A, better visual acuity and Group-B, worse visual acuity.

Results:

Patient age was 15 to 51 years at the time of the operation. Mean time past the operation during which the questionnaires were administered was 15 months (range 3 to 36). General visual acuity, psychological well - being and driving facility showed significant improvement in both groups. Younger keratoconic patients tend to have more enhanced psychology and to cope better with difficulties in everyday activities (pre op) than older patients. The eye with the better visual acuity both pre-op and post-op determines the general quality of daily routine, near and distant vision, mental and emotional health.

Conclusions:

The Athens Protocol treatment has been proven beneficial to patients in a large number of aspects. FINANCIAL DISCLOUSRE: One or more of the authors travel has been funded, fully or partially, by a company producing, developing or supplying the product or procedure presented