Abstract
Purpose::
To evaluate the visual acuity, reading ability and quality of life of patients suffering from wet ARMD , treated with intravitreal ranibizumab
Methods::
77 eyes of 77 patients were treated with ranibizumab. Group I included 36 patients expecting their first treatment, group II covered 41 patients after at least one treatment with ranibizumab. Observation period was 3 months. Reading ability was tested via Radner charts, visual acuity was tested with standard ETDRS-charts The quality of life was determined through the NEI-VFQ 25 (+Appendix, by RAND) before and after treatments.
Results::
Group I reported a significant increase of their quality of life and a significant improvement in reading ability and improvement of visual acuity. Group II was characterized by stabilization, and therefore prevention of a decrease in the quality of life, reading ability and visual acuity. Only the subscale of "Distance activities" showed a significant increase in the observation period . 88.9% of all patients reported a personal success of this treatment.
Conclusions::
We conclude that the evaluation of the quality of life of patients with ARMD and treatment with VEGF inhibitors gives additional information for the clinical progress and shows the great influence of reading ability on the quality of life. In addition a decrease of the high mental stress after start of treatment was observed. The overall success rate supports our efforts to establish this new treatment modality.
Keywords: age-related macular degeneration • visual acuity • quality of life