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Ahmed Almazroa,1,2 Hessa Almatar,1,2 Reema Alduhayan,1,2 Maram Albalawi,2,3 Mansour Alghamdi,4 Saja Alhoshan,5 Suhailah Alamri,1,2 Norah Alkanhal,1,2 Yara J Alsiwat,1,2 Saad Alrabiah,6 Mohammed Aldrgham,7 Ahmed A AlSaleh,8 Hessa Abdulrahman Alsanad,9 Barrak Alsomaie1,2 1Department of Imaging Research, King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 2King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 3Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 4Department of Optometry and Vision Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 5Department of Ophthalmology, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Ministry of National Guard-Health Affairs, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 6Department of Ophthalmology, King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 7Department of Ophthalmology, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz University Hospital, Princess Nourah Bint AbdulRahman University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 8AL-Hokama Eye Specialist Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 9Department of Social Planning, College of Social Work, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaCorrespondence: Ahmed Almazroa, Email Almazroaah@ngha.med.saBackground: Late detection of ocular diseases negatively affects patients’ quality of life (QoL), encompassing health status, psychological, financial, and social aspects. However, the early detection of eye conditions leads to rapid intervention and avoiding complications, thus preserving the QoL. This study assessed the impact of ocular diseases late detection on patients’ QoL at multi-eye clinics based on questionnaire responses.Methods: We developed an original Arabic-English questionnaire to assess the QoL of patients with ocular diseases referred from primary and secondary healthcare centers to tertiary hospitals. It covered preliminary data, patient perspectives on having lately detected ocular disease and treatment costs, and the impact of late detection on finances, social life, psychology, health status, and awareness of current initiatives. Logistic regression analysis was used to explore the associations between patient perspectives on having ocular diseases detected at a late stage and its impact on different domains. Multivariate logistic regression was applied with impact types of health status, psychological, financial, and social (dependent variables) and age, income levels, and hospital type (independent variables).Results: Three hundred and eighty-eight responded, with 50% experiencing psychological effects, 27% health issues, 23% social impacts, and 23% financial burdens. Two hundred seventeen patients (56%) reported having ocular condition detected in late stage. Logistic regression analysis showed positive association with health status, social well-being, and financial effects (p < 0.05). Multivariate analysis revealed pronounced effects in patients ≤ 50 years, with income \< 5000 SAR, and those visiting private clinics (p < 0.05). The social impact was greater in patients visiting private hospitals. Ninety percent of all patients emphasized the importance of increasing awareness for better QoL.Conclusion: Significant associations were found between the late detection of eye diseases and their impact on QoL. Therefore, early detection and increasing patients’ awareness of ocular diseases and treatment are essential.Keywords: irreversible vision, physiological effects, financial effects, social effects, ocular diseases |
