Patient-reported outcomes in Spanish patients diagnosed with bilateral age-related macular degeneration

To evaluate the patient-reported outcomes (PRO) in age-related macular degeneration (AMD) patients by using instruments for eliciting health status and vision specific issues.

PRO were assessed using the 25-item National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire (NEIVFQ-25) and the Short-Form General Health Survey (SF-12).

The mean age and corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA) in the better eye of the AMD patients were 82.53 ± 5.17 years and 0.82 ± 0.43 logMAR, respectively. The overall NEIVFQ-25 composite score was 57.89. SF-12 physical and mental component summary scores were 37.28 and 57.25, respectively. There were significant correlations (p ≤ 0.05) between CDVA and the following NEIVFQ-25 subscales: general (r = -0.73), near (r = -0.40) and distance vision (r = -0.60), role limitations (r = -0.40), social function (r = -0.48) and mental health (r = -0.38).

Visual function is severely affected in AMD patients. It hampers their daily living without, however, deeply disturbing their social function. This may help them retain adequate mental health despite their poor physical status.