title: The emotional and physical impact of wet age-related macular degeneration: findings from the wAMD Patient and Caregiver Survey.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This was a cross-sectional survey to evaluate the physical and emotional impact of wet age-related macular degeneration (wAMD) on a global cohort of patients who were receiving (or had previously received) antivascular endothelial growth factor injections, and caregivers (paid and unpaid).
  
  
  METHODS
  The survey was performed in nine countries using an ophthalmologist-devised questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 910 patients and 890 caregivers completed the questionnaire. Most patients had been diagnosed and receiving antivascular endothelial growth factor injections for more than 1 year (74.7% and 63.8%, respectively), and many patients (82.1%) received support from a caregiver (usually a child/grandchild [47.3%] or partner [23.3%]). wAMD had a negative impact on most patients (71.6%); many rated fear (44.9%), sadness (39.9%), frustration (37.3%), and depression (34.0%) as common. It was linked to physical consequences, such as difficulty in reading (61.1%). Many effects were significantly greater in patients with a longer duration of disease or with wAMD in both eyes. Some caregivers (unpaid) also reported that caregiving had a negative impact on them (31.1%); many reported emotions such as sadness (34.9%) and depression (24.4%), but many also felt useful (48.4%). Overall, 27.2% of caregivers (unpaid) rated caregiving as inconvenient; this was linked to days of employment/personal obligations missed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  wAMD has a significant negative impact on the lives of patients, including vision-related depression, poor mobility, and limitations in day-to-day activities. The impact on nonprofessional caregivers may be underestimated in terms of emotional impact (such as depression) and loss of productivity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Fondazione GB Bietti-IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Varano
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany.
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Eter
authors.affiliation: Department of Policy and Campaigns, Royal National Institute of Blind People, London, UK.
authors.forename: Steve
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Winyard
authors.affiliation: Bayer Pharma AG, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Kim U
authors.initials: KU
authors.lastname: Wittrup-Jensen
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Microcirugia Ocular, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Navarro
authors.affiliation: Macular Disease Foundation Australia, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Heraghty
keywords: anti-vascular endothelial growth factor agents; patient-reported outcomes; wAMD Patient and Caregiver Survey; wet age-related macular degeneration