Sidhu S, Lynch AM, Mandava N, Manoharan N, Mathias MT, Patnaik JL. Gender Differences in Visual Functioning Questionnaire Scores among Patients with Age-Related Macular Degeneration.
Ophthalmic Epidemiol 2022;
30:1-10. [PMID:
35848204 PMCID:
PMC9903959 DOI:
10.1080/09286586.2022.2084756]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Revised: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 05/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE
To examine gender differences in visual functioning using the National Eye Institute Visual Functioning Questionnaire-25 (VFQ-25) in a Colorado cohort of patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
METHODS
A retrospective cohort study was conducted using a registry of AMD patients who attended the Sue Anschutz-Rodgers Eye Center (2014 to 2019). Demographic, clinical, and image data were collected, and AMD was categorized as Early/Intermediate AMD, or unilateral/bilateral neovascular (NV) AMD, geographic atrophy (GA), or Both Advanced using the Beckman Classification. Each patient completed the VFQ-25, which evaluates visual functioning, generating a composite score and subscale scores for vision-specific activities. Univariate and multivariable general linear models were used to estimate the associations between gender and VFQ-25 scores with parameter estimates (PE) and standard errors (SE).
RESULTS
Among 739 patients with AMD, 294 (39.8%), 115 (15.6%), 168 (22.7%), and 162 (21.9%) were diagnosed with Early/Intermediate AMD, GA, NV AMD, and Both Advanced, respectively. Adjusted for AMD classification, age and habitual visual acuity in the better-seeing and worse-seeing eyes, female gender was not significantly associated with lower composite VFQ-25 scores (PE (SE): -1.2 (0.9), p = .193), and was significantly associated with reportedly worse ocular pain and driving subscale scores (PE (SE): -4.6 (1.0), p < .0001 and -9.1 (2.1), p < .0001, respectively).
CONCLUSION
Gender plays a role in reported driving activities and ocular pain among patients with AMD. This may need to be accounted for in future research related to the use of VFQ-25 for AMD.
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