Abstract
Purpose :
To explore visual quality of life (VQoL) in people with type 2 diabetes (DM2) in a Norwegian population.
Methods :
In all, 89 participants with DM2 underwent an extensive eye examination at the University of South-Eastern Norway during the period August 2018 to June 2019. Before the examination, they completed the self-administered National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire-25 (NEI-VFQ-25). Visual function was measured as logMAR best-corrected visual acuity (BVCA) at distance (6m) and near (40cm), and log contrast sensitivity using the MARS Letter Contrast Sensitivity (CS) test (50cm). Analysis of VQoL focused on the NEI-VFQ-25 subscales for distance and near activities and driving, as reduced visual acuity and contrast sensitivity are likely to affect these activities. Descriptive and standard non-parametric statistical analysis, including Spearmans correlation and Mann-Whitney U test, was used to explore VQoL, group differences, and correlations between VQoL and visual function in the better-seeing eye. A p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. The study was approved by the Regional Committees for Medical Research Ethics.
Results :
The mean age (sd) of the participants was 65.5 (± 9.8), 44% were female. Their mean (sd) duration of diabetes was 10.3 (± 7.2). The mean (sd) distance BCVA, near BVCA and CS were -0.07 (± 0.12), 0.01 (± 0.11) and 1.63 (± 0.1), respectively. The mean (sd) sum score for the 11 vision-related subscales of NEI-VFQ-25 was 87.4 (± 10.4). NEI-VFQ-25 subscale scores were not associated with age (> 67 years) and DM2 duration (> 10 years). The NEI-VFQ-25 subscale scores, driving (rs (80) = -0.322, p = 0.003), general vision (rs (87) = -0.292, p = 0.005), and mental health (rs (87) = -0.220, p = 0.038), were significantly weak to moderately correlated with distance BCVA. CS was weakly correlated to the NEI-VFQ-25 subscale scores driving (rs (79) = 0.289, p = 0.009) and general health (rs (86) = 0.257, p=0.016). Near BCVA was not statistically significantly correlated with any of the NEI-VFQ-25 subscale scores.
Conclusions :
The study demonstrated that both reduced distance BVCA and reduced CS have a negative impact on visual quality of life in people with DM2. The ability to drive is affected by both BCVA and CS.
This is a 2020 ARVO Annual Meeting abstract.