Change in Sub-aspects of Vision-Related Quality of Life after Three Months of Using an App to Categorize Metamorphopsia. / Veränderung von Teilaspekten der sehbezogenen Lebensqualität nach 3-monatiger Verwendung einer App zur Kategorisierung von Metamorphopsien.

AIM: Distorted vision (metamorphopsia) is a leading symptom in retinal disease and can be categorized with the app MacuFix. This prospective controlled pilot study examined the influence of the app MacuFix as a method to assess metamorphopsia on vision-related quality of life. METHODS: Forty-five patients suffering from metamorphopsia in at least one eye were recruited for the study. Vision-related quality of life before and after 3 months of optional home monitoring using the app MacuFix were compared with the questionnaire National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire-25. RESULTS: The 45 participants (18 women, 27 men) were, on average, 68 years old (SD ± 9.7) and had a mean best-corrected visual acuity of 0.6 (SD ± 0.25). Of 90 eyes, 18 revealed no maculopathy. Age-related macular degeneration existed in 52 eyes, epiretinal gliosis in 6, and macular hole in 1 eye. Macular edema was present in two eyes due to diabetes, four eyes due to uveitis, one eye after retinal venous thrombosis, four eyes because of an Irvine Gass syndrome, and two eyes caused by central serous thrombosis. After 3 months, 35 persons used the app for home monitoring, 8 persons applied the Amsler Grid, and 2 did not use any test. App users showed a highly significant improvement in vision-related quality of life in questions on mental health and concern about vision, and a significant improvement in performance, dejection, control, and embarrassing situations. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that MacuFix can possibly ameliorate partial aspects of vision-related quality of life.

Test-Retest-Reliability of Computer-Based Metamorphopsia Measurement in Macular Diseases. / Test-Retest-Reliabilität der computergestützten Metamorphopsiemessung bei Makulaerkrankungen.

In this study, the test-retest-reliability as one aspect of reliability of metamorphopsia measurements using a computer-based measuring method was determined in patients with macular diseases. Metamorphopsia amplitude, position, and area were quantified using AMD - A Metamorphopsia Detector software (app4eyes GmbH & Co. KG, Germany) in patients with diabetic, myopic, or uveitic macular edema, intermediate or neovascular age-associated macular degeneration, epiretinal membrane, vitelliform maculopathy, Irvine-Gass syndrome, or macular edema due to venous retinal occlusion. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was calculated in order to determine the repeatability of two repeated measurements and was used as an indicator of the reliability of the measurements. In this study, metamorphopsia measurements were conducted on 36 eyes with macular diseases. Metamorphopsia measurements made using AMD - A Metamorphopsia Detector software were highly reliable and repeatable in patients with maculopathies. The intraclass correlation coefficient of all indices was excellent (0.95 - 0.97). For diseases of the vitreoretinal interface or macular diseases with intra- or subretinal edema, this metamorphopsia measurement represents a supplement for visual function testing in the clinic, as well as in clinical studies.