title: Vision-related quality of life and visual function following vitrectomy for proliferative diabetic retinopathy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the vision-related quality of life (VR-QOL) and visual function following vitrectomy for proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR).
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective, interventional, consecutive, comparative case series.
  
  
  METHODS
  The 25-Item National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire (VFQ-25) was answered by 51 patients with PDR before and three months after 20-gauge pars plana vitrectomy. Among the patients with PDR, 30 underwent combined cataract surgery and vitrectomy. Clinical data were collected, including logarithm of minimal angle of resolution (logMAR) best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), letter contrast sensitivity, and metamorphopsia. The VFQ-25 was also administered to 46 age-matched normal controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The preoperative VFQ-25 composite score was significantly lower in the PDR patients (56.3 +/- 18.8, mean +/- standard deviation) than in the normal controls (85.2 +/- 10.3; P < .0001). Vitrectomy significantly improved VFQ-25 composite score (P < .005) and eight of 12 subscales (P < .05). The preoperative VFQ-25 composite score significantly correlated with preoperative logMAR BCVA in the better-seeing eye (P < .001). The postoperative VFQ-25 composite score exhibited significant correlation with postoperative logMAR BCVA in the worse-seeing eye (P < .0001) as well as the better-seeing eye (P < .0001). Similar significant correlations were also observed between the VFQ-25 composite score and letter contrast sensitivity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Vitrectomy for PDR significantly improves VR-QOL. The current study quantitatively indicates that VR-QOL in PDR patients depends on visual acuity and contrast sensitivity in the better-seeing eye preoperatively and in both the better-seeing and worse-seeing eyes postoperatively.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennoudai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan. fumiki-o@md.tsukuba.ac.jp
authors.forename: Fumiki
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Okamoto
authors.forename: Yoshifumi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Okamoto
authors.forename: Shinichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fukuda
authors.forename: Takahiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hiraoka
authors.forename: Tetsuro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Oshika
mesh_terms: D015350:Contrast Sensitivity / Q000502:physiology; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019654:Lens Implantation, Intraocular; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018918:Phacoemulsification; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology*; D014821:Vitrectomy