Impact of COVID-19 on Quality of Life of Seniors With Eye Disease and Implementations to Improve Wellness

The ophthalmology clientele is vulnerable in the context of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic because of their age and comorbidities. Specifically, elderly patients aged 65 and above with glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration, or diabetic retinopathy require regular follow-ups and commonly suffer from additional comorbidities. Further, because of the proximity between the patient and health care personnel during ophthalmological examinations, the risk of infection during visits is significant. The delicate balance between the risk of exposure to COVID-19 and visual loss in delaying cases is a psychological stressor to both patients and clinicians. A cross-sectional study accumulating the data of 425 patients aged 65 and above with various eye diseases will be conducted. Participants will be presented with a set of online questionnaires designed to collect data on health-related quality of life (HRQOL), vision-related quality of life (VRQOL), depression symptoms, anxiety, sleep quality, community integration, and their experience with tele-consultations. This study can help quantify the collateral impact of the COVID-19 beyond the direct impact of the virus, to improve future quality of care guidelines on non-COVID-19 conditions, and to help plan patient prioritization once restrictions are eased.