Assessment of ocular manifestation frequency and quality of life in chronic myeloproliferative disorders

Chronic myeloproliferative disorders (CMPD) include hemoblastoses with abnormal proliferation of myeloid lineages and concomitant alterations in the peripheral blood indicators. The aim of this study was to assess the frequency and structure of ophthalmic complications as a quality of life factor in patients with CMPD. A group of patients with hemoblastoses of this type (n = 41) were surveyed using National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire-25 along with a comprehensive examination by noninvasive ophthalmological techniques. The patients typically reported impaired visual acuity, visual discomfort and foreign body sensation in the eyes. Though many of the patients assessed their general health and vision as satisfactory, the vast majority (68.3%) expressed serious concerns about their visual abilities. The ophthalmological examination revealed various defects including refractive errors (61%), corkscrew dilation and tortuosity of conjunctival and retinal vessels (77.9%), recurrent subconjunctival hemorrhages (39%) and dilated optic nerve sheaths (36.6%). The survey data indicate that visual impairments significantly affect quality of life in patients with CMPD. Overall, the results underscore the importance of interdisciplinary approach in the management of patients with CMPD to enable early diagnosis and feasible correction of the ophthalmic component.