Quality of life after macular translocation with 360° peripheral retinectomy for age-related macular degeneration

Purpose: To determine patients' quality of life (QOL) after macular translocation with 3600 peripheral retinectomy (MT360) for age-related macular degeneration. Design: Prospective, interventional, consecutive, noncomparative case series. Methods: A prospective study assessed QOL 1 year after MT360 and its relation to postoperative visual function. The 25-item National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire (NEI VFQ-25) and the Medical Outcomes Study 12-item short form (SF-12) health survey were used to assess vision-related QOL and general health, respectively. Surveys were administered preoperatively and postoperatively. Postoperative NEI VFQ-25 QOL and SF-12 subscale scores for all patients were compared with the preoperative scores. Preoperative and postoperative distance and near visual acuities (VAs) and reading speed were assessed. Changes in NEI VFQ-25 QOL subscale scores were compared in patients with and without improved visual function. Postoperative NEI VFQ-25 QOL subscale scores in patients with distance VA of greater than or equal to69 Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study letters, near VA of greater than or equal to20/70, and reading speed of greater than or equal to90 words per minute were compared with subscale scores in patients with worse postoperative visual function. Main Outcome Measures: National Eye Institute VFQ-25 and SF-12 QOL scores and their association with distance VA, near VA, and reading speed. Results: In total, 50 patients with a mean age of 76.9 years were studied. Postoperative mean NEI VFQ-25 QOL scores were higher than the preoperative mean scores, and this difference was significant for important vision-specific subscales. Patients with improved visual function had greater mean changes in NEI VFQ-25 QOL scores than those with no improvement. Patients with the outlined higher levels of visual function had greater mean NEI VFQ-25 QOL scores than those who had worse visual function. Preoperative and postoperative mean SF-12 QOL scores were similar. Conclusions: Macular translocation with 3600 peripheral retinectomy was associated with improvement in vision-related QOL. The amount of improvement was greatest in patients with postoperative improvement in visual function, and the best postoperative vision-related QOL was seen in patients with better postoperative visual function. This was not associated with a change in patients' general health. (C) 2005 by the American Academy of Ophthalmology.