[Visual function and quality of life in patients with age-related maculopathy: results of the Münster Age and Retina Study (MARS)].
BACKGROUND
The aim of this study was to examine the association between increasing severity of age-related maculopathy (ARM) stages, visual function and quality of life.


METHODS
Using the 25-item version of the National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire (NEI VFQ) in the Münster age and retina study (MARS), 974 patients (normal fundus: n = 208; early ARM: n = 466; late ARM: n = 300) with bilateral gradable fundus photographs were asked about their visual function and quality of life. The NEI VFQ scales with regard to general health, general vision, near vision, distance vision and peripheral vision were assessed. According to the ARM stages, age- and gender-adjusted mean scores were calculated and tested for statistically significant differences.


RESULTS
The perception of general health, general vision, near vision, distance vision and peripheral vision was getting worse with increasing severity of ARM stages. Comparing the maculopathy groups, significant differences in age- and gender-adjusted mean scores were found between patients with late ARM and healthy subjects and patients with late and early ARM. Furthermore, we observed for the dimension general vision a significant difference of the mean score between early ARM and healthy control group [mean score; early ARM: 68.7 (0.7) vs. control group: 72.2 (1.1); p = 0.005].


CONCLUSIONS
The results of the NEI VFQ reflect the clinical expectation of an inverse relation between increasing severity of ARM stages and visual function and quality of life.
Fuhs
A
A
Institut für Epidemiologie und Sozialmedizin, Universität Münster.
Dasch
B
B
Behrens
T
T
Meister
A
A
Krause
K
K
Pauleikhoff
D
D
Hense
H W
HW
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015897:Comorbidity; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D006801:Humans; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D015348:Vision, Binocular; D014792:Visual Acuity