Abstract:

Objective To investigate the vision-related quality of life (VRQoL) and related factors in patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Methods Eighty-eight patients with AMD (AMD group) and 88 patients with non-AMD diseases (control group) diagnosed at Department of Ophthalmology, the First People's Hospital affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University were selected, and Chinese version Low Vision Quality of Life Questionnaire (CLVQOL) was employed to evaluate VRQoL in both groups. The total score of CLVQOL and scores of each scale of CLVQOL (scale of distant visual acuity, motion and light perception, scale of adjustment ability, scale of reading and fine work and scale of daily living) were calculated, and their correlations with monocular logMAR visual acuity and weighted average logMAR visual acuity (WMAR) were explored. Results The average total score of CLVQOL in AMD group was (96.18±20.35) points, which was significantly lower than that in control group [(106.53±12.75) points](P<0.01). Except the scale of daily living, the scores of the other scales of CLVQOL in AMD group were significantly lower than that in control group (P<0.01). The total score and scores of each scale of CLVQOL in AMD group well correlated with logMAR visual acuity in the better-seeing eye and WMAR, with similar correlation coefficients. WMAR was confirmed as the chief independent risk factor of the score of the scale of reading and fine work, and the visual acuity in the better-seeing eye was determined as the chief independent risk factor of the total score and scores of the other scales of CLVQOL. Conclusion VRQoL in patients with AMD is relatively lower, and avoiding the visual acuity decrease in the better-seeing eye may be a way to maintain VRQoL.

Key words: age, macular degeneration, quality of life, weighted average logMAR visual acuity