The Relationship Between Visual Disability and Visual Scores in Patients With Retinitis Pigmentosa

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate the relationship between visual disability and visual scores in patients with retinitis pigmentosa. Methods: The relationship between visual disability and visual scores (visual acuity and visual field) was investigated in 93 patients with retinitis pigmentosa. The visual disability of each patient was evaluated using a questionnaire (a total of 35 questions, in 7 sections, regarding daily life). The reproducibility and validity of the data obtained by the questionnaire had been established by a similar investigation in glaucoma patients. Mean (±SD) age of patients was 52.6 ± 15.1 years, the mean visual acuity of the logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (log 10MAR) was 0.5 ± 0.4, and the mean deviation of visual field with the Humphrey Field Analyzer program 30-2 was −22.0 ± 10.9 dB. Results: The visual acuity of log 10MAR in the better eye ( r = 0.66 to 0.81) and the mean sensitivity within the central 10° of the visual field ( r = −0.76 to −0.62) had a definite relationship to the visual disability index of each section and their sum ( P < .0001). This relationship was also confirmed in multiple regression analysis, which showed a high correlation coefficient ( R 2 = 0.57 to 0.77, P < .0001). Conclusions: The retinal sensitivity within the central 10° and the visual acuity of log 10MAR in the better eye had a significant influence on a patient's daily life. We suggest that in patients with retinitis pigmentosa, visual disability in daily life can be precisely evaluated with the retinal sensitivity within the central 10° and the visual acuity in the logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution in the better eye.