IMPROVEMENT IN SUBJECTIVE VISUAL FUNCTION AND QUALITY-OF-LIFE OUTCOMEMEASURES AFTER BLEPHAROPTOSIS SURGERY

PURPOSE: To examine patients' subjective perception of visual function and health-related quality of life as affected by blepharoptosis and the change in these perceptions after blepharoptosis surgery, METHODS: A 27 item questionnaire pertaining to vision-related activities and s ymptoms was used preoperatively to assess 50 consecutive patients (18 years old or older) with unilateral or bilateral acquired involutional blepharoptosis, and postoperatively six to eight weeks after blepharo ptosis repair, RESULTS: Of the 24 items statistically analyzed, 16 ite ms (67%) demonstrated significant improvement postoperatively (P < .05 ) among the unilateral cases and 18 items (75%) showed significant imp rovement postoperatively (P < .05) among the bilateral cases, The four activities that improved the most after surgery for both the unilater al and bilateral groups were the ability to perform fine manual work, hanging or reaching objects above eye level, watching television, and reading. CONCLUSIONS: Surgical repair of acquired involutional blephar optosis resulted in significant improvement in several aspects of pati ents' subjective visual function and health-related quality of life, T hese issues are important in determining both the indications for and outcome of blepharoptosis surgery.