title: Visual function quality of life measure changes upon conversion to neovascular age-related macular degeneration in second eyes.
abstract: To determine changes in quality of life measures when choroidal neovascularization (CNV) developed in the second eye of patients with initially unilateral neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
  
  
  
  We analyzed responses to the 39-item National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire (NEI-VFQ), 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) at baseline, and prior to and following second eye CNV diagnosis in 92 participants enrolled in two Submacular Surgery Trials. Paired t-tests for sample sizes over 30 and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests for sample sizes <30 were performed to compare scores.
  
  
  
  CNV development resulted in statistically and clinically significant changes in responses to 20 of 39 NEI-VFQ items, indicating visual function decline during a mean interval of 25 months. Little difference was noted between baseline scores and prior to CNV diagnosis, which averaged 8.9 months duration. Subscales demonstrated a statistically significant decline in general vision, near activities, distance activities, social functioning, role difficulties, dependency, and driving. There were minimal changes in the HADS and SF-36 scales.
  
  
  
  CNV development in the second eye had a dramatic effect on visual functioning based on patient responses to the NEI-VFQ questionnaire. Our investigation is believed to be the first study using data collected prospectively to demonstrate vision-related quality of life changes that resulted from development of CNV in AMD patients.
authors.affiliation: Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.|Kellogg Eye Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
authors.forename: Yannis M
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-0615-628X
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Paulus
authors.affiliation: Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Joan L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Jefferys
authors.affiliation: Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Barbara S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Hawkins
authors.affiliation: Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA. ascott28@jhmi.edu.|, 600 North Wolfe Street, Maumenee #719, Baltimore, MD, 21287-92272, USA. ascott28@jhmi.edu.
authors.forename: Adrienne W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Scott
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D014792:Visual Acuity
keywords: Age-related macular degeneration; Choroidal neovascularization; National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire; Quality of Life; Second eyes; Submacular Surgery Trials