Impact of Severity and Bilaterality of Visual Impairment on Health-Related Quality of Life

Relative to persons with no VI, persons with bilateral mild and unilateral or bilateral moderate/severe VI report greater difficulties in performing most vision-dependent daily activities and experience vision-related dependency and poorer vision-related mental health. Because most visual function subscale scores were significantly lower in persons with bilateral mild and/or unilateral/bilateral moderate/severe VI, health care providers should consider intervention in these persons. Our findings provide further insight into the relationship between severity level, bilaterality of VI, and self-reported visual function. These data can be used to refine the determination of visual disability in persons with VI.