Quality of life associated with unilateral and bilateral good vision.

OBJECTIVE

To ascertain with patient preference-based methodology whether individuals with good visual acuity (20/20-20/25) in one eye have the same quality of life as individuals with good vision in both eyes.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional comparative study.

PARTICIPANTS

Consecutive patients seen in comprehensive ophthalmic and vitreoretinal practices with known ocular disease and good visual acuity (20/20 or 20/25) in one or both eyes.

METHODS

Standardized patient interview.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Time tradeoff and utility analysis values.

RESULTS

The mean time tradeoff utility value in 81 patients with good visual acuity in one eye was 0.89 (standard deviation, 0.17; 95% confidence interval, 0.85-0.93), whereas the mean value in 66 patients with good vision in both eyes was 0.97 (standard deviation, 0.05; 95% confidence interval, 0.97-0.99). The difference between the means of the utility values in these two groups was significant using multiple linear regression (P = 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

From the patient preference-based point of view, individuals with ocular disease and good visual acuity in both eyes appear to have a higher time tradeoff utility value, and thus a better associated quality of life, than those with good visual acuity in only one eye.