Patient Perspective of the Burden of RVO: A Qualitative Understanding of Vision Related Functioning and the NEI VFQ-25

Abstract

Purpose: : Patients with retinal vein occlusion (RVO) may experience vision problems that affect daily functioning and quality of life. The National Eye Institute Visual Functioning Questionnaire-25 (VFQ) has been validated in various eye diseases but little information is available from the perspective of RVO patients in whom vision loss usually is unilateral. The purpose of this study was to understand vision-related functioning from the RVO patient perspective and to assess the content validity of the VFQ.

Methods: : Fifteen RVO subjects with visual acuity between 20/50 and 20/400 were interviewed. Interviews included open-ended questions about areas affected by vision problems and a detailed review of the VFQ questions to assess content validity. Interviews were evaluated by qualitative data analysis.

Results: : Subjects found the VFQ to be easy to answer and relevant. The most common spontaneously mentioned emotion was feeling fearful about vision loss. Symptoms of RVO included eyes feeling tired, burning, watering, and a foreign body sensation. The most important impact on patient visual function was on near activities such as difficulty reading (n=14). Subjects reported impairment in watching television (n=6), recognizing someone from across the room (n=12), peripheral vision (n=9) and driving (n=10). Subjects reported depending on others (n=5) and staying home (n=7). The content validity of the VFQ was confirmed for subscales measuring near activities, distance activities, driving, dependency, mental health, ocular pain and peripheral vision. RVO patients were less likely to report visual function problems captured by VFQ subscales measuring general vision, social functioning, role difficulties or color vision.

Conclusions: : This study sheds light on the emotional and physical burden of RVO on patients and its impact on vision-related functioning. Furthermore, it confirms that many of the items of the VFQ are comprehensible and relevant to patients with RVO.

Keywords: vascular occlusion/vascular occlusive disease • quality of life • clinical (human) or epidemiologic studies: outcomes/complications