A short questionnaire on visual function of older adults to supplement ophthalmic examination

PURPOSE: To estimate frequency of self-reported visual dysfunction in speci fic life situations. METHODS: Performance-based measures of visual function were obtained during the 5-year follow-up examination of the Beaver Dam Eye Study cohort. Durin g the subsequent yearly follow-up telephone call, four questions concerning visual abilities in specific situations were administered, RESULTS: Visual difficulties in everyday life situations were commonly repo rted by adults aged 48 to 91 years, with only 17% to 35% of persons reporti ng excellent or very good vision in the four specific situations related to visual function. Visual acuity, near vision, and contrast sensitivity meas ures do not reflect the visual difficulties encountered in common daily act ivities in our study population (Spearman correlation coefficients all less than 0.35). CONCLUSIONS: A few simple questions about visual function in common daily a ctivities may give a clinician insights into patient complaints, It may be that environmental changes could improve self-reported visual function. (C) 2000 by Elsevier Science inc. All rights reserved.