Design of a novel low vision questionnaire to evaluate the quality of life and independence

Abstract

Purpose To develop a novel vision‐ related quality‐ of‐ life questionnaire for patients with low vision. Methods The content for questionnaire items was determined through personal interview with patients facing various ocular diseases (aAge‐ rRelated mMacular dDegeneration, dDiabetic rRetinopathy, etc.) and with bBest cCorrected vVisual aAcuity (BCVA) ranging from light perception to 0.2 logMAR. Patients were asked to define the most important activities in their everyday lives and difficulties due to their visual impairment. Analysis following interview identified groups of items which formed the questionnaire's scales and subscales that were evaluated for internal consistency. All eligible persons had to be 18 years or older and cognitively able to give informed consent for participation. Results Fifty patients with a mean (standard deviation, SD) age of 54.6 (29.9) years were studied. Items that were internally inconsistent, unreliable or not relevant were excluded, resulting in the 50‐item quality‐ of‐ life and independence assessment questionnaire. Items were distributed into 7 different functional visual domains: mobility under various luminance conditions, self‐care, shopping, communication, social life, technology and education–‐work life. There were no significant differences among patients regarding their general health (p = 0.444). The questionnaire was proved to have a good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha > 0.8). The average score of patients with low vision was significantly lower (p < 0.001) than the average score of those with BCVA > 0.5 logMAR and significantly higher (p < 0.001) than those with BCVA < 1.3 logMAR. Conclusions There is preliminary evidence that questionnaire has good internal consistency (alpha > 0.8, n = 50). Results also suggest that the questionnaire seems to be sensitive to subgroup differences by measuring the vision‐ related quality of life and independence. The instrument is going to be further refined following this pilot study.

Daily Functionality of People with Low Vision: The Impact of Visual Acuity, Depression, and Life Orientation—A Cross‐Sectional Study

“…The 40-item questionnaire [32] evaluates the vision-related functionality of daily life such as shopping, cooking, using public transport, and personal hygiene in two major domains: ability and independence. Specifically, the items include statements about the residual ability to perform vision-targeted activities and the feeling of independence when performing these activities.…”

“…Vision-related QoL has been extensively assessed with relevant questionnaires such as the Low Vision Quality-of-Life Questionnaire (LVQOL) [29] and the NEI-Visual Functioning Questionnaire 25 (NEI-VFQ-25) [30]. On the other hand, "visual functioning" is commonly assessed using several questionnaires such as Visual Function-14 (VF-14) [31] and the new Life for Low Vision Questionnaire (LIFE4LVQ) [32], which measure the impact of LV on activities of daily living (ADL). These questionnaires specifically measure limitations in daily activities (disability and/or dependence) associated with vision-dependent tasks such as reading, driving, and shopping, and they have been used to evaluate outcomes of rehabilitation services or even clinical trials [33][34][35][36].…”

“…Given all the above, the present study is aimed at investigating psychological, clinical, and demographic factors that may impact the daily functionality of patients with LV as assessed with the novel LIFE4LVQ [32].…”