title: [Evaluation of quality of life characteristics and grade of legal visual impairment].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the possible correlation between quality of life (QOL) characteristics and grades of legal visual impairment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Quality of life characteristics associated with various causes of visual loss were investigated in 237 Japanese patients in the low-vision care clinic at Tokyo University Hospital, who had been issued the official ID and handbook for the physically handicapped. The main causes of vision loss were glaucoma (87 patients), macular degeneration (35) and diabetic retinopathy (34). Using a previously developed questionnaire, we assessed the correlation between the disability index (DI) as a quality of life characteristic, and the grade of legal visual impairment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Total DI was 1.24 +/- 0.43, showing a very significant correlation with Handicapped Handbook grades (r = -0.44, p < .0001). The correlation coefficients were -0.63 (p < 0.0001) for diabetic retinopathy, -0.50 (p = 0.002) for macular degeneration, and -0.16 (p = 0.14) for glaucoma patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The needs of low-vision patients correlate with the grade of legal visual impairment and it is important to understand that the needs of low vision patients differ for each disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University of Tokyo, Graduate School of Medicine, Shimotsuke, Japan.
authors.forename: Shiho
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kunimatsu
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: Izumi
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sumi
authors.forename: Mariko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kitazawa
authors.forename: Megumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tamura
authors.forename: Asuka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mishima
authors.forename: Makiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ochiai
authors.forename: Mieko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yanagisawa
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D019987:Persons with Visual Disabilities / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence