title: Does the type of treatment have an influence on utility values in a glaucoma population?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the impact of glaucoma therapy on utility values in a glaucoma population.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study of consecutive glaucoma patients was conducted. Utility values were obtained using the time trade-off method. Visual function variables (visual acuity and mean deviation in the better eye) and sociodemographic and clinical characteristics (age, sex, race, educational level, type of glaucoma, current and past glaucoma treatments, and comorbidities) were also obtained for statistical analysis. We divided the patients into three groups: medical treatment (group 1), surgical treatment (group 2), and mixed surgical and medical treatment (group 3).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean age of the study population (n=225) was 65.7 years. After controlling for glaucoma stage (early, moderate, and advanced), the difference among the groups in mean utility values was not statistically significant. Number of medications per patient, type of medication, or type of surgical technique did not have an impact on the utility values.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest that the type of therapy did not affect the utility values in a glaucoma population.
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, MG, Brazil ; Paletta Guedes Ophthalmological Center, Juiz de Fora, MG, Brazil ; Santa Casa de Misericórdia Hospital, Juiz de Fora, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ricardo Augusto
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Paletta Guedes
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, MG, Brazil ; Paletta Guedes Ophthalmological Center, Juiz de Fora, MG, Brazil ; Santa Casa de Misericórdia Hospital, Juiz de Fora, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Vanessa Maria
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Paletta Guedes
authors.affiliation: Paletta Guedes Ophthalmological Center, Juiz de Fora, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Sirley Maria
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Freitas
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Alfredo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chaoubah
keywords: glaucoma surgery; glaucoma treatment; quality of life