M.R. de Boer and G.H.M.B. van Rens

Academisch Ziekenhuis Vrije Universiteit,
De Boelelaan 1117,
P.O. Box 7057,
NL 1007 MB Amsterdam,
The Netherlands

To select a valid and reliable questionnaire to measure quality of life in elderly low vision patients.

First a literature search in Pubmed was conducted to select one or two psychometrically tested and feasible vision-related quality of life questionnaires for use in an elderly low vision population. The questionnaires were examined on the following properties:

The construction of the questionnaire, face validity, reliability, (construct) validity, reproducibility, responsiveness, time to administer, method of implementation, comprehensibility and applicability for elderly low vision population.

Results:

Out of approximately ten possible questionnaires two questionnaires were selected (the VCM1: Frost et.al. , 1998 and the LVQOL: Wolffsohn en Cochrane, 1999). Overall these two questionnaires demonstrated to be the best for use in an elderly low vision population.

Conclusions:

Although quality of life assessment has gained widespread acceptance in many fields of health care, many vision related quality of life questionnaires are still in the development phase. To achieve comparability of study results it is best, when possible, to use an already developed questionnaire. Besides the psychometric properties of a questionnaire, the aim of the research and the study population are very important in determining which questionnaire to use.