Correlation between Quality of Life measures and retinal structure and function in patients with age-related macular degeneration

Abstract

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between quality of life (QoL) measures and visual function in advanced age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Methods : We examined 18 female (82.2 ± 9.0 years, mean ± SD) and 9 males (82.9 ± 6.0 years) patients with exudative AMD from the ophthalmology department at The Canberra Hospital (TCH). Patients visual function was measured with both high contrast and low contrast visual acuity charts that followed standardized format of the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) charts. Visual sensitivity was measured with Matrix 10-2 threshold Frequency doubling technology (FDT) testing.

Results : There was no significant association between any visual function measure and quality of life measure; however, a significant negative correlation between central retinal thickness and MacDQol (β=-0.66, p=0.02) and National Eye Institute Visual Functioning Questionnaire 25 (β=-0.63, p=0.04) was found.

Conclusions : These results indicate that central retinal thickness has a stronger association with quality of life measures than visual function. In addition, retinal sensitivity losses became symmetrical with progression in MD.

This abstract was presented at the 2019 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Vancouver, Canada, April 28 - May 2, 2019.