title: The association between legal Japanese visual impairment grades and vision-related quality of life.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study examines the relationship between quality of life (QOL) and the legal Japanese grade of visual impairment as defined by the Physically Disabled Persons Welfare Act.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants of this cross-sectional study were 98 Japanese patients legally classified as visually impaired, from six ophthalmology departments. Vision-related QOL was evaluated using the 25-item National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire (VFQ-25). The short Japanese version of this questionnaire (VFQ-J11) score was calculated from the VFQ-25 results for each participant. Health utility was measured using the EuroQoL Index (EQ-5D). Data were collected for age, gender, vision-disability level, the corrected visual acuity of each eye, and disease type.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age was 66.8 years (SD = 17.8). Visual impairment grade was significantly associated with VFQ-J11 score and the composite score developed from the VFQ-25 (p < 0.001), but not with the health utility score obtained from the EQ-5D.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In general, the Japanese legally designated grading system for visual impairment reflects the degree of vision-related QOL, but does not reflect general health utility as determined by the EQ-5D.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 1608582, Japan. motoko-k@a3.keio.jp.
authors.forename: Motoko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kawashima
authors.affiliation: Department of Health and Welfare Services, National Institute of Public Health, Wako, Japan.|Department of Ophthalmology, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshimune
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hiratsuka
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Tadashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakano
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.|Division of Medical Information Technology & Administration Planning, Kyoto University Hospital, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tamura
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Juntendo Tokyo Koto Geriatric Medical Center, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ono
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Murakami
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 1608582, Japan.
authors.forename: Sachiko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 1608582, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazuo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tsubota
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Sensory Organs, National Hospital Organization Tokyo Medical Center, Tokyo, Japan.|Department of Ophthalmology, Kyorin University, Mitaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Masakazu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yamada
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Grade; Quality of life; Visual impairment