Assessment of the Abbreviated National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire (NEI VFQ 9) in blepharoptosis and dermatochalasis.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the Abbreviated National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire (NEI VFQ 9), which is shorter than those previously published, as a tool for assessing vision-related quality of life in patients with ptosis and dermatochalasis.


METHODS
This is a cohort study of 46 patients who underwent blepharoptosis and/or upper eyelid blepharoplasty surgery by a single surgeon (CN) in 2013 in a public, academic, ambulatory care referral center. Patients included 29 who underwent blepharoplasty, 11 who underwent ptosis surgery, and 6 who underwent combined surgery. The NEI-VFQ 9 was administered pre- and postoperatively, and the composite scores were compared using Student's t-test. Survey duration was timed in a subset of patients. The hypothesis was that the NEI VFQ 9 could detect a statistically significant improvement in composite score after surgical intervention.


RESULTS
The mean pre- and postoperative NEI VFQ 9 composite scores were 74.9 and 86.8, respectively, in the blepharoplasty-only group (P<0.0001), 72.07 and 86.41, respectively, in the ptosis-only group (P=0.004), and 75.8 and 87.2, respectively, in the combined group (P=0.022). There was no correlation between the gain in composite score and the change in upper eyelid margin to reflex distance. Twenty-five patients were timed filling out the survey, and the mean was 2.3 min.


CONCLUSIONS
The NEI VFQ 9 consistently demonstrates a significant increase in visual function for blepharoptosis and dermatochalasis patients. Thus, it may be a useful tool for assessing vision-related quality of life in patients with ptosis and dermatochalasis.
Department of Ophthalmology, Kellogg Eye Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
César A
CA
Briceño
Department of Ophthalmology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA.
Molly L
ML
Fuller
Department of Ophthalmology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA.
Elizabeth A
EA
Bradley
Department of Ophthalmology, Kellogg Eye Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
Christine C
CC
Nelson
D000368:Aged; D019882:Blepharoplasty / Q000379:methods; D001763:Blepharoptosis / Q000601:surgery*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003483:Cutis Laxa / Q000601:surgery; D005141:Eyelid Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D005143:Eyelids / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D054554:National Eye Institute (U.S.); D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011788:Quality of Life; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014481:United States; D014792:Visual Acuity