Association of aspects of vision and quality-of-life in patients with subfoveal choroidal neovascularization

Purpose. To determine the relationship between aspects of vision and health-related quality-of-life (QoL) among patients with subfoveal choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in at least one eye who are enrolled in the Submacular Surgery Trials (SST) Pilot Study. Methods. Using multivariate linear regression models, measures of vision from the better eye of 271 patients enrolled in the SST were assessed for their contributions to QoL measured using the physical (PCS) and mental (MCS) summary scales from the SF-36 administered during baseline in-person interviews. Results, Overall age- and gender- specific PCS and MCS scores in these patients were similar to published norms. After adjustment for demographic factors: better visual acuity was significantly (p < .05) associated with higher PCS and MCS scores; better contrast sensitivity was marginally (.05 < p < .10) related to both summary scales; and higher reading speed was significantly related to higher MCS scores but not PCS scores. Taken together, the three vision measures in both eyes explained 4.5% and 6.8% of the total variation in MCS and PCS scales, respectively. Conclusions. This widely-used questionnaire for assessing QoL is responsive to the three components of vision being measured in patients enrolled in the SST who represent a wide range of ages, have variations in co-morbidities, and have impaired vision in one eye and often both eyes.