An Index of Visual Function in Patients with Cataract - Pilot study -

Kang, Hyung-Gon; Park, Eun-Cheol; Choi, Yoon Jung; Kim, Han Joong; Hong, Young Jai; Cho, Woo Hyun; Sohn, Myongsei; Lim, Seung Jeong

Journal of Korean Society Quality Assurance Health Care 1998;5(1): 128.
Published online May 30, 1998.

백내장 환자의 시기능지표 - 사전 연구를 중심으로 -

강형곤¹, 박은철², 최윤정², 김한중², 홍영재³, 조우현², 손명세², 임승정³

¹포천중문의대 예방의학교실
²연세의대 예방의학교실
³연세의대 안과학교실

An Index of Visual Function in Patients with Cataract - Pilot study -

Hyung-Gon Kang¹, Eun-Cheol Park², Yoon Jung Choi², Han Joong Kim², Young Jai Hong³, Woo Hyun Cho², Myongsei Sohn², Seung Jeong Lim³

¹Department of Preventive Medicine, Pochon-CHA University
²Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, College of Medicine, Yonsei University
³Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, Yonsei University

Abstract

Background
There is increased recognition that rigorous approach to functional assessment will complement the assessment of clinical status. This study is to develop the appropriate visual function index in Korean patients with cataracts by the assessment of the reliability, validity of visual function indexes including VF-14.
Methods
An prospective study was performed with 92 patients who had undergone either one eye or both eye cataract surgery by 3 ophthalmologists practicing at a university hospital. Patients were interviewed. and clinical data were obtained. Doctors were questioned with self-entered questionnaire forms. Medical record was examined to understand surgery process. The survey was conducted at 1-2 days before cataract surgery.
Results
We used following measures : 7 visual function indexes, global measures of patients' trouble and satisfaction with vision, and best-corrected visual acuity(VA) in each eye. 7 visual function indexes showed a high internal consistency reliability (Cronbach's alpha coefficients ${geq}$ 0.86). The better visual acuity(operated eye, better eye), the higher patient satisfaction with vision, the lower symptom score, the lower patient trouble with vision was correlated with preoperative visual function index scores. Among 7 indexes, VF-12 with the exclusion of 2 items drivings from VF-14 is a high Cronbach's alpha coefficient and correlation coefficient and the highest $R^2$.
Conclusion
We conclude that VF-12 is reliable and valid in Korea. So we suggest that in Korea, all items of VF-14, the visual function index, which is in use internationally, ought to be surveyed and VF-12 which has been excluded by 2 items of drivings from VF-14 ought to be used for analysis.

Key words patient outcomes research;index of visual function;VF-14;cataract;