National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire in the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS): AREDS Report No. 10.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the vision-targeted, health-related quality of life, measured with the National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire (NEI-VFQ), in patients with age-related macular degeneration, cataract, or reduced visual acuity; to determine the relationship between the NEI-VFQ subscale scores and clinical measures of visual function; and to assess the internal consistency and reliability of the NEI-VFQ subscales.


METHODS
The 39-item NEI-VFQ was administered at the 5-year clinic visit to 4077 Age-Related Eye Disease Study participants.


RESULTS
The subscales of the NEI-VFQ had moderate to high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.58-0.91). The NEI-VFQ scores for participants with advanced age-related macular degeneration in 1 or both eyes, severe nuclear opacity, reduced visual acuity, or cataract surgery generally were lower than scores for disease-free participants (P<.001).


CONCLUSIONS
These findings support the use of the NEI-VFQ as a measure of vision-targeted, health-related quality of life among patients with age-related macular degeneration, cataract, or reduced visual acuity.
Clemons
Traci E
TE
AREDS Coordinating Center, The EMMES Corporation, 401 N Washington Street, Suite 700, Rockville, MD 20850-1707, USA. aredspub@emmes.com
Chew
Emily Y
EY
Bressler
Susan B
SB
McBee
Wendy
W
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002386:Cataract / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009316:National Institutes of Health (U.S.) / Q000592:standards*; D011788:Quality of Life; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States; D015351:Vision Screening / Q000592:standards; D015354:Vision, Low / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology*