Study finds high treatment satisfaction but moderate quality of life in patients receiving intravitreal injections
Patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration, diabetic macular edema, and retinal vein occlusion receiving intravitreal injections generally report high treatment satisfaction but only moderate vision-related quality of life, and that preserving visual acuity is the most important factor for better quality of life (QoL), according to a study.
In this single-center study, researchers used the VFQ-25 and MacTSQ questionnaires and found that patients experienced moderate vision-related quality of life impairment, with a mean VFQ-25 score of 65.1 out of 100, while treatment satisfaction remained high, averaging 81.9. Notably, quality of life and satisfaction levels were similar across all three disease groups.
Analysis found that worse visual acuity and older age were strongly associated with lower QoL. Additional factors, such as dyslipidemia and depression, also independently predicted reduced vision-related QoL. By contrast, treatment satisfaction was consistently high and did not correlate with age or QoL scores.
Researchers suggest that a multidisciplinary approach may help optimize outcomes for patients receiving long-term intravitreal therapy, regardless of retinal disease type.
Reference
Flindris K, Chatzipetrou C, Papafotiou E, et al. Quality of Life and Treatment Satisfaction in Patients Receiving Intravitreal Injection Therapy for Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration, Diabetic Macular Edema, and Retinal Vein Occlusion: A Cross-Sectional Study. Cureus. 2025;17(8):e91004. doi: 10.7759/cureus.91004. PMID: 41018360; PMCID: PMC12461233.
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