Vision‑Related Quality of Life after Corneal Transplantation

Purpose: To determine the vision‑related quality of life (VR‑QoL) and its dimensions in corneal transplant recipients. Methods: This cross‑sectional study was carried out on 100 patients who underwent penetrating keratoplasty. Data collection tools included a demographic questionnaire, satisfaction questionnaire, and Persian version of the 39‑item National Eye Institute Visual Functioning Questionnaire (NEI-VFQ 39). Results: The composite score of VR‑QoL in corneal transplant recipients was 54.39 ± 9.22 (32.9–71.01). The highest mean score among subscales was related to color vision (74.75 ± 27.63) and the lowest related to dependency (31.06 ± 31.02). The results showed that there is a reverse correlation between VR‑QoL with both age (r = −0.364; P < 0.001) and the numbers of years after the transplantation (r = −0.362; P < 0.001). However, there was a correlation between satisfaction and VR‑QoL (r = 0.679; P < 0.001). Furthermore, the results showed that there is a significant difference in VR‑QoL between men and women (P < 0.001) and also a significant difference in VR‑QoL between unilateral and bilateral graft recipients (P < 0.001). Conclusions: The corneal transplant has the highest impact on color vision and the lowest on dependency. Moreover, the results of this study provide a comprehensive picture for the state of vision and overall health status of patients for health‑care providers to enhance the patient care.