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Repeatability of visual function measures in age-related macular degeneration

  • Retinal Disorders
  • Published:
Graefe's Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

To assess repeatability of visual function measures in patients with early, intermediate or late age-related macular degeneration (AMD) without active neovascular disease in the study eye, but active neovascular AMD in the fellow eye.

Methods

One hundred subjects from an ongoing trial were screened for this study in which their LogMAR acuity, contrast sensitivity and reading performance were assessed using standardised protocols by trained optometrists. The same measures were repeated one month later and repeatability of the visual functions assessed.

Results

Data from 83 subjects satisfied inclusion criteria for analysis. Coefficient of repeatability was 14.9 letters for LogMAR visual acuity , 7.2 letters for Pelli Robson contrast sensitivity, 0.72 for LogMAR reading acuity, 110.4 words/ min for reading speed and 0.67 for LogMAR critical print size. Intraclass correlation coefficients allowed comparison between measures and were found to be 0.96 for LogMAR visual acuity, 0.93 for contrast sensitivity, 0.75 for LogMAR reading acuity, 0.79 for reading speed and 0.74 for LogMAR critical print size. Coefficients of variation were 9.4 %, 10.7 %, 48.4 %, 28.4 % and 31.8 % respectively.

Conclusions

We found coefficients of repeatability that concurred with previous studies demonstrating variability of visual functions in patients with AMD. In addition, we found intraclass correlation coefficients to be better with visual acuity and contrast sensitivity than with measures of reading performance.

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Acknowledgments

We gratefully acknowledge financial support from Greater Manchester Primary Care Trusts and the NIHR Manchester Biomedical Research Centre.

Conflict of Interests

None of the authors declare any proprietary interests

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Manchester Royal Eye Hospital, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK

    Tariq Aslam, Sajjad Mahmood, Konstantinos Balaskas, Niall Patton, Rajeev G. Tanawade, Shi Zhuan Tan, Jeremy Parkes & Paul N. Bishop

  2. Centre for Advanced Discovery and Experimental Therapeutics (CADET), Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK

    Paul N. Bishop

  3. Centre for Ophthalmology and Vision Research, Institute of Human Development, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, UK

    Tariq Aslam & Paul N. Bishop

  4. Centre for Biostatistics, Institute of Population Health, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, UK

    Stephen A. Roberts

  5. Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, City Road, London, UK

    Konstantinos Balaskas

Authors
  1. Tariq Aslam
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  2. Sajjad Mahmood
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  3. Konstantinos Balaskas
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  4. Niall Patton
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  5. Rajeev G. Tanawade
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  6. Shi Zhuan Tan
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  7. Stephen A. Roberts
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  8. Jeremy Parkes
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  9. Paul N. Bishop
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Konstantinos Balaskas.

Additional information

Trial Registration site: http://www.isrctn.org, Registration Number: ISRCTN34221234

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Aslam, T., Mahmood, S., Balaskas, K. et al. Repeatability of visual function measures in age-related macular degeneration. Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 252, 201–206 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00417-013-2421-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00417-013-2421-5

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