Abstract:
Ophthalmic patients show poor quality of life (QoL) scores due to ophthalmic diseases (cataract and
glaucoma). Common mental disorders (CMDs), optimism, and socio-demographic variables are
also factors that influence the QoL of these patients. However, these issues were not extensively
studied in Ethiopia. The study was intended to investigate QoL and associated factors among
ophthalmic patients at University of Gondar Comprehensive Specialized Teaching Hospital. It
employed a cross sectional survey design. Self-developed questionnaire, WHOQoL-BREF
questionnaires domains, HADS, and LOT-R were administered to 131 available participants
(ophthalmic patients). The data was analyzed using mean, standard deviation, frequency,
percentage, and multiple regressions analysis. As the result indicated, the prevalence rates of
anxiety, depression, and their co-morbidity among ophthalmic patients were found to be 45.8%,
70.22% and 44.27% respectively. The mean scores of general QoL, physical, psychological, social
relationship, and environmental domains among ophthalmic patients were 7.7, 20, 22.29, 9.75, and
25.62 respectively. Depression was found the only significant predictor of the general QoL (p<.01).
It was also the strongest predictor of the physical, psychological, and environmental domains
(p<.001). Age was the strongest predictor of the social relationship domain (p<.01). Anxiety was
found a statistical predictor of the physical, psychological, and social relationship domains (p<.05).
Optimism was a statistical predictor of the psychological (p<.05), social relationship (p<.01), and
environmental domains (p<.05). Taking into account the results of the study, practitioners
(psychologists and psychiatrists) and ophthalmologists ought to communicate and work together to
improve the QoL of ophthalmic patients.
