Visual functioning in patients with macular degeneration compared to patients with cataracts

To compare Visual Functioning Questionnaire-25 (VFQ) response data in patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) to patients with cataracts.

In total 415 individuals with early or intermediate AMD and 236 patients with visually significant cataracts who completed the VFQ-25 from a single academic eye center registry between July 2014 and May 2022 were identified. The effect of disease (AMD versus cataract) on VFQ composite score was analyzed using univariate and multivariable linear regression, controlling for age, race/ethnicity, history of transient ischemic attack (TIA)/stroke, and visual acuity.

AMD patients were older than the cataract group (76.0±7.4y vs 73.2±5.9y, P<0.001). There was no difference in sex between groups with both being predominantly female (63% for AMD vs 61% for cataracts, P=0.801). The VFQ composite score was higher in the AMD group (88.8±10.7 vs 82.8±14.5, P<0.001). All vision-related and socio-emotional subscales had significantly higher scores among AMD compared to cataract patients. When adjusted for age, race/ethnicity, history of TIA/stroke, better-eye visual acuity, and worse-eye visual acuity, patients with cataracts had a 3.3-point lower VFQ composite score (95%CI: -5.3 to -1.4, P<0.001) compared to patients with AMD.

Patients with early or intermediate AMD report higher visual functioning compared to patients with cataracts in composite score and all VFQ subscale categories in both unadjusted and adjusted analyses.