title: Visual function analysis in acute posterior vitreous detachment.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether the visual function of patients with posterior vitreous detachment (PVD)changes between the initial visit and a 6-week follow-up visit, and to compare their visual function with that of patients with macular degeneration, cataract, glaucoma, low vision, cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis, or diabetic retinopathy and a reference population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective cohort study.
  
  
  METHODS
  All patients presenting to the Hotel Dieu Hospital Emergency Eye Clinic between September 2008 and June 2009 who were diagnosed with acute PVD were offered enrollment in the study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients were administered the National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire NEI VFQ-25 at two points in time. The composite scores from the initial and the 6-week visits were compared. The scores were also compared with established normative data and 6 ophthalmologic diagnoses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The NEI VFQ-25 composite score for patients with acute PVD (n = 84) at baseline was 93.26 ± 5.59 (mean ± SD). After 6 weeks and a second ocular examination, there was no statistical difference in the composite score of 93.47 ± 6.20 (mean ± SD). (1-sided paired t-test, t = 0.57; P = 0.28).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The visual function of patients with acute PVD remains stable over the first 6 weeks after diagnosis. It is significantly higher than that of patients with 6 other ophthalmologic conditions but comparable to that of a normal population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Queen's University, Kingston, Ont. kellyschweitzer@gmail.com
authors.forename: Kelly D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Schweitzer
authors.forename: Amaka A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Eneh
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hurst
authors.forename: Mark D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Bona
authors.forename: Karim J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Rahim
authors.forename: Sanjay
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sharma
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000368:Aged; D002386:Cataract / Q000503:physiopathology; D017726:Cytomegalovirus Retinitis / Q000503:physiopathology; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000503:physiopathology; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012607:Scotoma / Q000503:physiopathology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014787:Vision Tests; D015354:Vision, Low / Q000503:physiopathology*; D020255:Vitreous Detachment / Q000503:physiopathology*