TY - JOUR T1 - Quality of life in children with glaucoma: a qualitative interview study in Australia JF - BMJ Open JO - BMJ Open DO - 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-062754 VL - 12 IS - 7 SP - e062754 AU - Lachlan S W Knight AU - Bronwyn Ridge AU - Sandra E Staffieri AU - Jamie E Craig AU - Mallika Prem Senthil AU - Emmanuelle Souzeau Y1 - 2022/07/01 UR - http://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/12/7/e062754.abstract N2 - Objective Childhood glaucoma is a chronic vision-threatening condition that may significantly impact an individual’s psychosocial well-being. There is a paucity of literature investigating the quality of life (QoL) in children with glaucoma. The aim of this study was to investigate and report on the QoL issues encountered by children with glaucoma.Design This is a qualitative interview study. Data were collected through semistructured interviews. NVivo V.12 software (QSR International Pty Ltd, Melbourne, Australia) was used to analyse and code data to identify QoL themes. The prominence of QoL themes was determined by the number of children who raised issues connected to the corresponding theme.Setting Interviews were conducted via telephone or videoconferencing between April 2020 and July 2021.Participants Eighteen children with glaucoma, aged 8–17 years, who resided in Australia, were recruited from the Australian and New Zealand Registry of Advanced Glaucoma.Results Median child age was 12.1 years (IQR: 9.7–14.5 years) and 33% were female. Seven QoL themes were identified: ‘coping’, ‘inconveniences’ and ‘emotional well-being’ were more prominent themes than ‘symptoms’, ‘ocular health concerns’, ‘social well-being’ and ‘autonomy’. Adaptive coping strategies included resilience throughout clinical examinations and establishing positive relationships with ophthalmologists. These minimised inconveniences related to clinic waiting times and pupillary dilatation. External to the clinical setting, children often dissociated from their glaucoma but struggled with glare symptoms and feeling misunderstood by fellow peers. Older children aged 13–17 years commonly disengaged from their glaucoma care and expressed an unwillingness to attend ophthalmic appointments. Older children further raised issues with career options, obtaining a driver’s licence and family planning under the theme of autonomy.Conclusions The psychosocial impact of childhood glaucoma extends beyond the clinical environment and was minimised using coping strategies. Older children may require additional social and ophthalmic support as they transition into adulthood.No data are available. No additional data available. ER -