The relationship between visual acuity and functioning and well-being among diabetics.

Given the enormous recent interest in functional capabilities related to vision, the goal of this study was to examine the relationship of standard clinical measures of vision (e.g. Snellen acuity) to functioning and well-being. The association between Snellen visual acuity, Amsler grid distortion and presence of diabetic retinopathy with self-reported functioning and well-being (SF-36) were examined in a sample of 327 diabetics from the Medical Outcomes Study (MOS). There was little or no correlation between Snellen visual acuity, Amsler grid distortion or diabetic retinopathy and functioning and well-being (i.e. SF-36 scales). Maximum product-moment correlation was 0.15 with worst eye visual acuity, 0.13 with best eye visual acuity, 0.08 with presence of retinopathy, and 0.10 with Amsler grid distortion. Analysis of variance revealed that visual acuity (both best and worst eye) was statistically related only to the physical function scale; no other exam measure was related to any other SF-36 scale score. Snellen visual acuity, Amsler distortion and diabetic retinopathy correlate weakly with patient self-reported functioning and well-being. Thus, the information provided by functioning and well-being measures is complementary to that of standard clinical measures of visual ability.