Visual functioning and quality of life among the older people in Hong Kong

This study aimed to examine the association of visual functioning and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among the older community in Hong Kong.

This study used the baseline examination of a cohort study MrOs and MsOs (a large study for osteoporosis in men and women).

This study was set in the Hong Kong community.

A total of 4000 ambulatory community-dwelling Chinese men and women aged 65 years or above participated in this study.

Health-related quality of life was assessed by Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-12 (SF-12), with physical component summary (PCS) and mental component summary (MCS) scores. Demographics, medical history, mental status, and quality of life were obtained from face-to-face interviews, using standard structured questionnaire. Visual functions (i.e., binocular visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, and stereopsis) were assessed by different visual tests after refraction corrections. Different visual functions were tested simultaneously in multiple ordinal logistic regression models.

Better binocular visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, and stereopsis were associated with higher PCS. Visual acuity and contrast sensitivity was associated with PCS after adjustment of different visual functions and sex, age, education level, cognitive status, and history of diabetes in multivariate analysis, (OR = 0.73, 95% CI = 0.54 0.98) for low vision (≤6/24) compared with ≥6/9 in visual acuity and (OR = 1.34, 95% CI = 1.09 1.64) for contrast sensitivity row b 5-8 (best) compared with 0-1 (worst). MCS was only associated with visual acuity and contrast sensitivity, but no association was found after adjustment.

Apparent association was found between visual functions and HRQOL among older community in Hong Kong. In addition to visual acuity, contrast sensitivity is also important, so eye care should also cover.