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Clinically unrecognized, near-normal vision influences QoL
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Even near-normal vision, potentially unrecognized without assessment, has an adverse influence on quality of life, according to a cross-sectional study published in JAMA Ophthalmology.
These results “highlight the value of shifting thinking to overall population visual health and away from exclusive consideration of visual impairment,” the researchers explained.
The UK Biobank data from various centers across England and Wales involved 112,314 patients, of which 61,169 were female, with a mean age of 56.8 years across all subjects.
Researchers found a total of 759 subjects were blind or visually impaired, and an additional 25,678 had reduced vision in one or both eyes.
Impaired visual function from all causes was deemed to elicit adverse social outcomes along with general and mental health, according to the study.
Furthermore, possessing no educational qualifications, having a higher deprivation score and being in a minority ethnic group were independently associated with being in the midrange vision category in the study.
The researchers concluded that “this finding flags a significant burden of under-recognized and/or preclinical disability, which may be masked by adaptive strategies that may lead to inequalities of opportunity and go unrecognized without acuity testing during, for example, general health or well-being checks.” – by Abigail Sutton
Disclosure: Cumberland and Rahi are members of the Ulverscroft Vision Research Group. No other relevant financial disclosures were reported.
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