Improvement in vision-related quality-of-life using the NEI-VFQ-9 over 1-year in the Manhattan Vision Screening and Follow-up Study (NYC-SIGHT).

Purpose: To examine the nine-item National Eye Institute Vision Function Questionnaire (NEI-VFQ-9) scores at baseline and 12 months in participants enrolled in the Manhattan Vision Screening and Follow-up Study (NYC-SIGHT) and determine factors associated with improvements in vision-related quality-of-life (VRQOL).

Methods: Retrospective review of NEI-VFQ-9 scores at baseline and 12-month follow-up in a community-based eye health screening study conducted in Upper Manhattan, New York. Participants were age ≥ 40 years and older, living independently in public/affordable housing developments and able to provide informed consent. Paired t-tests compared baseline and 12-month NEI-VFQ-9 composite and sub-scores and a multivariable linear regression model identified significant predictors of improvement in quality-of-life at the 95% confidence interval (CI).

Results: A total of 515 participants completed both the NEI-VFQ-9 at baseline and 12-months. Significant increases in the composite NEI-VFQ-9 score were seen with general vision, near vision tasks, and role limitation (P < 0.001). Multivariable linear regression showed that being unemployed was associated with a statistically significant increase in NEI-VFQ-9 composite score (β = 5.6, 95% CI: 0.5,10.7, P = 0.033), and the absence of ocular conditions was negatively associated with improvement in the composite score over 12 months (β = -5.4, 95% CI: -10.3, -0.5, P = 0.031).

Conclusions: These results can help researchers, clinicians, and eye health professionals better understand the factors associated with VRQOL outcomes in underserved populations utilizing the NEI-VFQ-9. Community-based vision research clinical trials can easily incorporate the NEI-VFQ-9 into baseline and follow-up instruments to assess VRQOL for future comparisons.