Purpose
To understand the most important determinants of self-rated vision status by examining associations with vision tests, self-reported visual function, demographic, and health-status characteristics.
Methods
Participants included 2467 individuals, aged 65-84 in a longitudinal, population-based cohort study. Participants rated their vision status from 0-10. Visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, stereo-acuity and visual fields were assessed. The Activities of Daily Vision Scale (ADVS) questionnaire was administered. Multivariate ordinal and multinomial logistic-regression models examined the association of demographic, health-status characteristics, vision tests, and ADVS subscales with self-rated vision status score. Odds ratios described the association of these characteristics with reporting better vision status.
Results
Better visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, stereo-acuity, and visual fields were associated with increased odds of reporting better vision status. Among the vision tests, a 2-line increase in visual acuity was most likely to result in an individual reporting better vision status (odds ratio, 1.49; 95% CI, 1.30-1.70). A 5-point increase in the near vision, far vision, and glare ADVS subscale scores were associated with increased odds of reporting good vision status versus poor vision status. A 5-point increase in the near vision subscale was most likely to result in an individual reporting good vision status versus poor vision status (odds ratio, 1.38; 95% CI, 1.28-1.50).
Conclusions
Self-rated vision status is a multidimensional measure. Near-vision visual function and visual acuity are important determinants of self-rated vision status in an elderly population.
Keywords: 414 aging: visual performance •
754 visual acuity •
641 perception