Vision-related quality of life and visual function in a 70-year-old Swedish population

• Purpose To investigate vision-related quality of life (VRQoL), visual function and predictors of poor vision in a population of 70-year-olds. Methods Self-reported ocular morbidity and responses to the National Eye Institute Visual Functioning Questionnaire-25 (NEI VFQ-25) in a cross-sectional population study (N = 1203) in Gothenburg, Sweden, were compared with results from ophthalmic examination (N = 560). Results The most common self-reported ophthalmic morbidities were cataract (23.4%), age-related macular degeneration (AMD; 4.7%), glaucoma (4.3%) and diabetic retinopathy (1.4%). Cataract was more prevalent in women (p = 0.001). The composite score from NEI VFQ-25 for the entire cohort was 91.4 (standard deviation: 27.5). When comparing composite score for different eye diseases, persons with cataract or AMD exhibited lower scores (p = 0.029 and 0.018, respectively). Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was normal (>= 0.5 decimal) in 98.9%; two individuals had low vision (<0.3). Men exhibited better BCVA (median: -0.08 logMAR) than women (-0.06; p = 0.005). Visual field defects were observed in 16.3% and uncorrected refractive errors in 61.5%. Poor vision was reported by 7.4% of participants with presenting visual acuity (PVA) >= 0.5 (decimal), while 66.7% with PVA PVA <0.5, 55.6% obtained a BCVA of >= 1.0 with the right correction. Low contrast sensitivity was a significant predictor of experiencing poor vision (p = 0.008), while PVA and visual field defects were not. Conclusions Low contrast sensitivity is a predictor of experiencing poor vision. There is a discrepancy between subjective/objective visual function and a high prevalence of uncorrected refractive errors. Women have more cataract, and men demonstrate slightly better visual acuity.

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Oftalmologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Ophthalmology (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

ageing

contrast sensitivity

cross-sectional study

gender difference

vision-related quality of life

function questionnaire

lens opacities

prevalence

cataract

gender

impairment

blindness

glaucoma

utility

impact

Ophthalmology

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

art (ämneskategori)