Purpose To compare health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with Ahmed FP7 (FP7), Baerveldt 250 (B250) and Baerveldt 350 (B350) glaucoma drainage device (GDDs), and medically treated controls.

Methods This was a prospective cohort study from August 2017 to July 2019. The NEI 25-Item Visual Function Questionnaire (VFQ-25), the Adult Strabismus-20 questionnaire (AS-20) and the Diplopia Questionnaire were conducted ≥30 days postoperatively in GDD patients, on enrolment for controls. Age, sex, treatment type, visual acuity, mean deviation and diplopia were evaluated for association with HRQoL

Results Of the 128 GDD patients enrolled, 35 (27.3%) had FP7, 32 (25.0%) had B250 and 61 (47.7%) had B350. In univariate analysis, decreased HRQoL was associated with younger age (r² range 0.042–0.071), diplopia (r² range 0.039–0.119), GDD treatment (r² range 0.023–0.103), lower visual acuity (r² range 0.021–0.215) and worse mean deviation (r² range 0.029–0.131). All GDD groups had lower HRQoL subscores than the controls. HRQoL scores were lower compared with controls among B350 patients for AS-20 Self-perception subscale, B250 and B350 for Reading and General Function subscales, and FP7 and B350 for VFQ-25 Visual Functioning subscale. There were no significant differences among the GDDs.

Conclusions Glaucoma patients with a younger age, diplopia, lower visual acuity, worse mean deviation or a GDD had lower HRQoL. Those with B350 had lower self-perception scores, consistent with previous reports in the literature. This subscale was not diminished in FP7 or B250, so the decreased self-perception scores may be due to greater visibility or awareness of the B350.