Relationship between Glaucoma Severity, Vision-related Quality of Life and Perceived Wellbeing among Older Adults.

Glaucoma is a major public health issue that worsens normal vision and is the second leading cause of permanent blindness in the world. It has become imperative to improve the vision related quality of life and wellbeing of older adults with glaucoma because of its greater prevalence and disastrous effects. Study aim: to address if there is an association between glaucoma severity, vision- related quality of life and perceived wellbeing among older adults. Research Design: a descriptive correlational design was adopted. Location: outpatient clinics of Damanhour Eye Hospital. Subjects: a convenient sample consisting of 150 older adults with glaucoma were recruited for this study. Data collection instruments: comprises three primary tools; General participant's socio-demographic and clinical characteristics questionnaire, Glaucoma Quality of Life-15(GQoL-15) Questionnaire, andthe Well-being of Older People Scale (WOOPS).Results: The severity of glaucoma was found to be highly statistically significant in relation to the older adult's glaucoma quality of life (P<0.001*) and perceived wellbeing (P<0.001*).Conclusion: there are significant negative association between the older adult's glaucoma severity and glaucoma quality of life as well as their perceived wellbeing. Also, higher severity of glaucoma among older adults can be aggravated by various factors such associodemographic characteristics, health and unhealthy lifestyle factors.Recommendations: As an essential component of the routine assessment conducted bygerontological nurses, periodic screening of the severity of glaucoma and the visual function in older adults should be implemented and integrated into the patients' regular care. This can make it easier for nurses to provide appropriate interventions.