J E Keeffe, L M Weih, J B Hassell
University of Melbourne, Centre for Eye Research Australia, East Melbourne, Australia
Background. To implement intervention and support programs for people with low vision, individual plans are required. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between cause and degrees of vision loss on restriction to participation in people with low vision.
Method: Adults with impaired vision (VA <6/12) from a specialist eye hospital and rehabilitation agencies were interviewed using the Impact of Vision Impairment (IVI) questionnaire.
Multivariable linear models were used to identify demographic and vision-related variables independently related to variation in participation.
Results: The mean age of the 265 participants was 74 years (18 to 98) and 60% were women. Average duration of vision loss was 7 years (<1 to 70). The majority of participants had moderate or severe low vision - < 6/12 (24%), <6/18 (63%) to <6/60 (13%). The most frequent cause of vision loss was age-related macular degeneration (45%) followed by retinopathy (23%), glaucoma (13%) and other causes that include cataract (19%). Cause of vision loss was related only to differences in average IVI scores in the household and personal care and social and consumer domains (p<0.01). Adjusting for gender, age, duration and cause of vision loss, level of vision was significantly related to average IVI score for all domains. Multivariable models explained from 8-12% of the variation in IVI domain scores, with visual acuity accounting for 6-8% of the variation.
Conclusion: Vision impairment, its degree and causes accounted for a small proportion of variation in participation across all life domains; age and duration of vision impairment for very little. The effect of other health and lifestyle variables need to be investigated.
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