The National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire: experience of the ONTT. Optic Neuritis Treatment Trial.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the health-related quality of life, measured with the National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire (NEI-VFQ), of patients several years after the onset of optic neuritis, according to their neurologic and visual status; to assess the relationship between the NEI-VFQ subscales and clinical measures of visual function; and to assess the internal consistency reliability of the NEI-VFQ subscales.


METHODS
The NEI-VFQ was administered to 244 patients 5 to 8 years after treatment for an episode of acute optic neuritis as part of the Optic Neuritis Treatment Trial. Visual acuity, visual field, contrast sensitivity, and color vision were measured at the same time as questionnaire completion.


RESULTS
The NEI-VFQ scores generally were lower than those reported for a disease-free group. Reported dysfunction was greater when multiple sclerosis was present and when visual acuity was abnormal, supporting the construct validity of the NEI-VFQ. Rank correlations between the NEI-VFQ subscales and clinical measures of visual function were moderate at best. Internal consistency reliability was generally high for most of the NEI-VFQ subscales.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings add support to the use of the NEI-VFQ as a valuable measure of self-reported visual impairment.
Cole
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SR
Jaeb Center for Health Research, Tampa, Florida 33613, USA.
Beck
R W
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Moke
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PS
Gal
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Long
D T
DT
D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003118:Color Perception / Q000502:physiology; D015350:Contrast Sensitivity / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D009316:National Institutes of Health (U.S.) / Q000592:standards*; D009885:Ophthalmology; D009902:Optic Neuritis / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D011788:Quality of Life; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States; D015351:Vision Screening / Q000592:standards*; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology*; D014794:Visual Fields / Q000502:physiology