title: Effect of a Home Visit-Based Low Vision Rehabilitation Intervention on Visual Function Outcomes: An Exploratory Randomized Controlled Trial.
abstract: To examine the effect of a home visit-based visual rehabilitation intervention on: (1) self-reported visual function and (2) depression, wellbeing, loneliness, adjustment to visual loss, and generic health-related quality of life.
  
  
  
  In an exploratory, assessor-masked, individually randomized, single-center controlled trial, 67 participants (age: 75.22 ± 16.21 years) with low vision were allocated either to receive the home visit-based visual rehabilitation intervention (n = 35) or to a waiting list control arm (n = 32). Outcome measures were collected by telephone interview at baseline and 6 months later. The primary outcome measure was the 48-item Veterans Affairs Low Vision Visual Functioning Questionnaire (VA LV VFQ-48). Secondary outcome measures were: the Patient Health Questionnaire; the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale, the Adjustment to Age-related Visual Loss Scale, the standardized health-related quality of life questionnaire, and the University of California, Los Angeles Loneliness Scale. Questionnaire scores at follow-up were analyzed using analysis of covariance, controlling for the baseline score and the variables, age, number of comorbidities, visual acuity, and baseline wellbeing score.
  
  
  
  Visual function (VA LV VFQ-48) improved at follow-up in both groups, with a significantly greater improvement demonstrated by the intervention group (95% confidence interval, 0.33-0.68 logits, P = 0.031), with a moderate effect size (0.55). Secondary outcomes did not indicate any statistically significant differences between groups.
  
  
  
  The study provides preliminary evidence that a home visit-based visual rehabilitation intervention has a positive influence on vision-related functional outcomes. A larger trial with an expanded intervention to include a mental health component and cost-effectiveness analysis is needed. (ISRCTN.com number, 44807874.).
authors.affiliation: School of Optometry & Vision Sciences, College of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Jennifer H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Acton
authors.affiliation: School of Optometry & Vision Sciences, College of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Bablin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Molik
authors.affiliation: School of Optometry & Vision Sciences, College of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Court
authors.affiliation: School of Optometry & Vision Sciences, College of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Tom H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Margrain
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006792:House Calls; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015354:Vision, Low / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology*; D019987:Persons with Visual Disabilities / Q000534:rehabilitation*