Analysis of vision-related quality of life for neuro-ophthalmology inpatients

Background: The diseases of neuro-ophthalmology are common, which can influence the quality of patients' life seriously. The 39-item National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire (NEI VFQ-39) is an instrument to assess self-reported visual impairment in studies of vision. However, until now, no studies have been performed to specifically assess the vision-related quality of life in persons with diseases of neuro-ophthalmology. Objective: To evaluate vision-related quality of life for neuro-ophthalmology inpatients through the NEI VFQ-39, for the better treatment and nursing for them. Methods: Ninety-seven neuro-ophthalmology inpatients were scheduled in research from June 1 to September 30, 2012, and we collected all the clinical datas and the Chinese version NEI VFQ-39. The NEI VFQ-39 subscale item scores were compared among subgroups divided by monocular or binocular incidence, diseases and best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), and correlation analysis of the NEI VFQ-39 scores and BCVA for better-seeing and worse-seeing eyes was performed. Results: The mean age of scheduled patients was (36.6±14.4) years, with no difference in gender. The mean composite score of VFQ-39 was 57.36 (46.50, 73.38), mental health subscale score was lowest [45.00(35.00, 60.00)]. In the four eye diseases groups, except for eye pains, degree of dependence, periphery vision, anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (AION) group had lower scores compared with the other three groups, but there were no statistical significances among the four groups (all at P<0.05). Except for eye pains, patients with monocular incidence had better scores than those with binocular incidence, with statistical significant significances between them (all at P<0.05). Patients with BCVA in the better-seeing eye <20/32 had better scores than the other two groups, compared with the BCVA in the better-seeing eye ≤20/200 group, except for overall health and eye pains, compared with the 20/200>BCVA in the better-seeing eye ≤20/23 group, except for eye pains, social activity and color vision, and the rest subscale scores had significant differences among the three groups (all at P<0.05). NEI VFQ-39 scores had positive correlations with the BCVA for better-seeing and worse-seeing eyes, and had strong correlations with the BCVA for better-seeing. Conclusions: Neuro-ophthalmology diseases have serious influences on patients' visual function and quality of life. The quality of life has direct correlation with BCVA, so improving their visual function is helpful to their quality of life.