Visual acuity loss from DR, AMD equally affects quality of life

FLOURTOWN, Pa. — The degree of visual acuity loss, not the disease causing the loss, is associated with reduction in patients' quality of life, a large study found. People with similar levels of visual acuity loss reported a similar loss in quality of life whether the visual loss was due to age-related macular degeneration or diabetic retinopathy, the study authors said.

Researchers here questioned 333 patients with diabetic retinopathy (DR) and 246 with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) to determine how the visual acuity loss from the disease affected the patients' quality of life.

Using a method called time trade-off utility value analysis, patients were asked for their own estimation of their life expectancy. They were also asked how much of that time they would be willing to trade in return for a treatment that would return permanent good vision to each eye. Disease type, age and sex of the patients were not significantly associated with utility values. The contribution of visual acuity to quality of life was significant (P = .003).

The study is published in the April issue of Archives of Ophthalmology.