Vision-related quality of life and visual function following vitrectomy for proliferative diabetic retinopathy.

PURPOSE To evaluate the vision-related quality of life (VR-QOL) and visual function following vitrectomy for proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR). DESIGN Prospective, interventional, consecutive, comparative case series. METHODS The 25-Item National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire (VFQ-25) was answered by 51 patients with PDR before and three months after 20-gauge pars plana vitrectomy. Among the patients with PDR, 30 underwent combined cataract surgery and vitrectomy. Clinical data were collected, including logarithm of minimal angle of resolution (logMAR) best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), letter contrast sensitivity, and metamorphopsia. The VFQ-25 was also administered to 46 age-matched normal controls. RESULTS The preoperative VFQ-25 composite score was significantly lower in the PDR patients (56.3 +/- 18.8, mean +/- standard deviation) than in the normal controls (85.2 +/- 10.3; P < .0001). Vitrectomy significantly improved VFQ-25 composite score (P < .005) and eight of 12 subscales (P < .05). The preoperative VFQ-25 composite score significantly correlated with preoperative logMAR BCVA in the better-seeing eye (P < .001). The postoperative VFQ-25 composite score exhibited significant correlation with postoperative logMAR BCVA in the worse-seeing eye (P < .0001) as well as the better-seeing eye (P < .0001). Similar significant correlations were also observed between the VFQ-25 composite score and letter contrast sensitivity. CONCLUSIONS Vitrectomy for PDR significantly improves VR-QOL. The current study quantitatively indicates that VR-QOL in PDR patients depends on visual acuity and contrast sensitivity in the better-seeing eye preoperatively and in both the better-seeing and worse-seeing eyes postoperatively.