DETERMINING A PATIENT'S LEVEL OF ACTIVITY

The types of activities that patients included in their lives before experiencing visual loss are very significant when considering the impact of visual loss associated with AMD. For example:

• A mild reduction in central acuity affects a patient who enjoys socializing at the bar very differently compared with one who reads avidly.
• The time taken to notice visual loss may be greater in a patient whose main pastime is watching television than in a keen golfer.

Functional indicators of vision problems might help detect visual loss, and thus prompt people to see an eye care specialist. Functional vision can be assessed by using patient questionnaires such as the Functional Vision Screening Questionnaire (FVSQ) developed by Lighthouse International.