gms | German Medical Science

102. Jahrestagung der DOG

Deutsche Ophthalmologische Gesellschaft e. V.

23. bis 26.09.2004, Berlin

Visual quality of life before and after vitreomacular surgery of Macular Pucker

Meeting Abstract

  • corresponding author F. Rombold - Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Department of Ophthalmology, Munich
  • C. Hirneiß - Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Department of Ophthalmology, Munich
  • A. S. Neubauer - Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Department of Ophthalmology, Munich
  • A. Kampik - Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Department of Ophthalmology, Munich

Evidenzbasierte Medizin - Anspruch und Wirklichkeit. 102. Jahrestagung der Deutschen Ophthalmologischen Gesellschaft. Berlin, 23.-26.09.2004. Düsseldorf, Köln: German Medical Science; 2004. Doc04dogSO.01.19

The electronic version of this article is the complete one and can be found online at: http://www.egms.de/en/meetings/dog2004/04dog421.shtml

Published: September 22, 2004

© 2004 Rombold et al.
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/deed.en). You are free: to Share – to copy, distribute and transmit the work, provided the original author and source are credited.


Outline

Text

Objective

Epiretinal Membranes can cause reduction of visual acuity and metamorphopsies due to retinal traction. In addition to the impairment of visual acuity the quality of vision is reduced. The only criteria for the success of surgical therapy is the visual outcome and not the visual quality of life. This prospective study was designed to identify the influence of surgical treatment of macular pucker on the quality of life.

Methods

The study enrolled 20 patients with macular pucker which all had vitrectomy with membrane peeling. Preoperative and 3 months postoperative best corrected visual acuity were evaluated as well as life quality by the Visual Function-14 test (VF-14).

Results

There was an increase of best corrected visual acuity during follow up from preoperative 0,3±0,13 (Standard error of the mean) to postoperative 0,5±0,16 (p<0,05). The visual life quality (VF-14 values; Maximum 100) increases from 75,6±4,4 preoperative to 85,3±2,9 postoperative (p<0,05). The lowest VF14 values before surgery were 36,5, compared with at least 60,7 after operation. The quality of life improved especially in patients with low preoperative VF-14 levels after vitreomacular surgery.

Conclusions

Even before the final postoperative visual rehabilitation after surgical treatment of macular pucker the visual quality of life improved significantly. Visual life quality is appropriate to evaluate the success of surgery especially in subjective very affected patients and is useful in addition to the measurement of best corrected visual acuity.