Are Clinical Measures Good Indicators of Performance of Daily Activities in Vision-Impaired Children
Natalia Dawson, BOrth&OphthSc PGDiplHltResMthds 1,2
Kerry Fitzmaurice, PhD 2
1 Vision Australia, Melbourne, Australia
2 Department of Clinical Vision Sciences, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
Purpose: The aim of the study was to identify whether clinical measures of visual acuity and contrast sensitivity were good indicators of self-perceived performance of activities of daily living (ADL) tasks in vision-impaired school aged children.
Methods: Clinical measures and performance of visual function were assessed in 22 participants (11 fully sighted and 11 vision-impaired children), aged 5 to 15 years. Distance acuity was assessed by LogMAR chart and contrast sensitivity was measured by Vistech grating contrast sensitivity. Additionally, colour vision was also assessed using Ishihara plates as a control. Performance of visual function was evaluated by completion of one of two modified Visual Acuity Questionnaires (VAQ). This questionnaire measured self-perceived level of difficulty in undertaking specified activities graded on a five-point Likert scale. Results of clinical measures were correlated against VAQ scores.
Results: Vision impaired participants reported greater difficulty performing VAQ visual functions than sighted participants. There was an overall trend of a weak to moderate positive correlation between visual acuity and difficulty in performing daily activities measured on the VAQ and a weak to moderate negative correlation between contrast sensitivity and performing daily activities measured on the VAQ.
Conclusion: Data from this study indicated that visual acuity and contrast sensitivity were weak indicators of general performance of visual function. Whilst this represents pilot data the trends demonstrated were similar to others reported in the literature. Further investigation should be undertaken in this domain of low vision, as many intervention programs are directed by clinical measures.
