Abstract
To analyse what eyecare clinicians think about which symptoms are associated with refractive, accommodative and binocular dysfunctions, and which of them should be used in a questionnaire of visual symptomatology. A Delphi method was developed, using a coordinating group and a group of experts, and the process was conducted in three rounds. In the first round we compiled a list of 34 symptoms from the scientific literature and additional 10 suggested by the experts. These symptoms were categorized by each expert to the associated visual anomalies and working distance. In the second round, the relationship between each symptom and visual dysfunctions was analysed using a numeric scale. In the third round, the appearance or absence of the 44 symptoms in a questionnaire was assessed. Symptoms most frequently assigned by the experts to visual anomalies were related to near vision. Symptoms of blurred vision, difficulty focusing from one distance to another and close one eye obtained the highest mean score for refractive, accommodative and binocular disorders respectively. The experts were in agreement for 15 symptoms and in disagreement for 5 symptoms that should appear in a questionnaire. Delphi method has been used to identify the symptoms related to visual dysfunctions according to eyecare professionals and has allowed to arrive at appropriate symptoms to be asked for in a visual symptomatology questionnaire.
Highlights
To analyse what eyecare clinicians think about which symptoms are associated with refractive, accommodative and binocular dysfunctions, and which of them should be used in a questionnaire of visual symptomatology
Due to the lack of availability of a generic symptom questionnaire to assess visual dysfunctions, this study aimed to use an approach to detect symptoms associated with visual anomalies which could be included in a questionnaire that would serve this purpose of aiding anomaly classification and measuring symptoms severity
Results show that 28 of the initial 34 symptoms (82.4%) were unique for refractive dysfunctions (Fig. 2); 23 of 34 symptoms (67.6%) were associated with accommodative dysfunctions (Fig. 3) and 28 of 34 (82.4%) were indicated as symptoms related to binocular dysfunctions (Fig. 4)
Summary
To analyse what eyecare clinicians think about which symptoms are associated with refractive, accommodative and binocular dysfunctions, and which of them should be used in a questionnaire of visual symptomatology. In the first round we compiled a list of 34 symptoms from the scientific literature and additional 10 suggested by the experts These symptoms were categorized by each expert to the associated visual anomalies and working distance. Delphi method has been used to identify the symptoms related to visual dysfunctions according to eyecare professionals and has allowed to arrive at appropriate symptoms to be asked for in a visual symptomatology questionnaire. A systematic r eview[5] has shown the wide disparity of symptoms related to different visual anomalies (refractive, accommodative and binocular ones) in the scientific literature and the differences between authors in methods for collecting this information.
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