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Specific health-related quality of life concerns in children with intermittent exotropia
Tomohiko Yamada1, Sarah R Hatt, David A Leske
1Department of Ophthalmology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA.
Insights
Children with intermittent exotropia (XT) experience the most quality of life concerns related to sun sensitivity and eye clarity. Social concerns like teasing were less impactful for these children.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Pediatric Health
- Quality of Life Research
Background:
- Intermittent exotropia (XT) is a common childhood eye misalignment.
- Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is a crucial aspect of pediatric patient care.
- Understanding specific HRQOL concerns in children with XT is essential for targeted interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the frequency and impact of specific health-related quality of life (HRQOL) concerns in children diagnosed with intermittent exotropia (XT).
- To utilize the Intermittent Exotropia Questionnaire (IXTQ) for a comprehensive assessment of HRQOL in this pediatric population.
Main Methods:
- Eighty children (5 to <17 years) with intermittent XT and their parents completed the Child and Proxy versions of the IXTQ.
- Each item was scored on a scale of 0 to 100, indicating worst to best HRQOL.
- Items were ranked by impact (worst HRQOL) and analyzed across age subgroups (5–7 and 8–16 years).
Main Results:
- The most significant HRQOL concerns identified by children were eye closure in sunlight, worrying about their eyes, and waiting for eye clarity.
- Parents reported similar primary concerns regarding their child's sun sensitivity and eye worries.
- Concerns about social factors, such as making friends or being teased, were ranked as having the lowest impact.
Conclusions:
- Children with intermittent exotropia (XT) are most bothered by visual symptoms like sun-induced eye closure and the need for their eyes to clear.
- Social difficulties related to teasing or friendships were not primary concerns for children with XT.
- The IXTQ is a valuable tool for assessing and addressing the specific HRQOL challenges faced by children with intermittent exotropia in clinical settings.
Purpose:
To assess the frequency of specific health-related quality of life (HRQOL) concerns in children with intermittent exotropia (XT) using the Intermittent Exotropia Questionnaire (IXTQ).
Methods:
Eighty children with intermittent XT (aged 5 to <17 years), plus one parent for each child, completed the Child and Proxy IXTQ respectively. Each item was scored from 0 to 100 (worst to best HRQOL). Mean scores were calculated for each item and items were ranked from lowest to highest impact (worst HRQOL). Analysis was repeated for sub-groups of 5- to <8-year-olds (n = 46) and 8- to <17-year-olds (n = 34).
Results:
Highest impact Child IXTQ items were: "It bothers me that I have to shut one eye when it is sunny," "I worry about my eyes," and "It bothers me because I have to wait for my eyes to clear up." Highest impact Proxy IXTQ items were: "It bothers my child because he/she has to shut one eye when it is sunny" and "My child worries about his/her eyes." Lowest impact Child and Proxy items were "My eyes make it hard to make friends" and "Kids tease me because of my eyes." Ranking of items was similar for younger and older children.
Conclusions:
The greatest HRQOL concerns for children with intermittent XT were shutting one eye when sunny, waiting for their eyes to clear up, and worrying about their eyes. Items related to teasing and making friends were of least concern. Evaluation of HRQOL concerns using the IXTQ may be helpful in the clinical care of individual patients.
