Table of Contents

Ophthalmology Questionnaire (OQ)

In 2A Questionnaire 2, adult Lifelines participants filled in questionnaire about eye conditions, developed by the Department of Ophthalmology at the UMCG (section: diseases & symptoms).
The questionnaire contained both general questions and questions from validated ophthalmological instruments:

Note that Lifelines also assessed eye conditions with various general questions.

VFQ25

The Visual Functioning Questionnaire (VFQ-25) is a vision-specific measure of health-related quality of life, composed of eight multi-item scales, four single-item scales, and one composite score ranging in value from 0 (poor) to 100 (high). The full VFQ-25 consists of 3 parts:

  1. overall health and vision
  2. functional limitations due to vision
  3. dealing with problems due to vision

In Lifelines only part 1 and 2 of the translated VFQ-251) was used. Thus far, there is no information available regarding validity and reliability of this subset.
For the full VFQ-25, Mangione et al. (1998)2)3) was the first to show that it is reliable and valid. They showed that the psychometric properties of the NEI-VFQ were not influenced by the type or severity of the underlying eye disease, suggesting that the measure will provide reproducible and valid data when used across multiple eye conditions.
The VFQ-25 has additionally been shown to be valid and reliable in several populations and eye diseases 4)5)6)7)8)9)

SQ-DES

(Dry Eye Syndrome (DES/DED or Keratoconjunctivitis sicca) is the condition of having dry eyes. Other associated symptoms include irritation, redness, discharge, and easily fatigued eyes. Blurred vision may also occur. The symptoms can range from mild and occasional to severe and continuous. Scarring of the cornea may occur in some cases without treatment.
There are no validated Dutch dry eye questionnaires. The SQ-DES, derived from the Women's Health Questionnaire, is a short and simple questionnaire of three questions leading to a dichotomous outcome (DES or no DES) and is unequivocal to translate. Other questionnaires (like the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) or Ocular Comfort Index (OCI)) have been shown to be ‘random number generators’ on a population level and include too many questions to be included in Lifelines (more than 10 each).
The English SQ-DES has been validated by Gulati et al. (2006)10) as a sensitive and repeatable tool that is easy to administer in large epidemiological studies.

Publications using Lifelines OQ data

Variables

Questions English Questions Dutch Code Variable Assessment Age
do you wear glasses, reading glasses or contact lenses? draagt u een bril, leesbril of contactlenzen? vision_aid_adu_q_1 VISION1A 2A 3B NEXT ACTQ 18+
what do you wear? wat draagt u? vision_aid_adu_q_1_a VISION1B 2A 3B NEXT 18+
can you see in the distance without glasses or contact lenses (e.g. watch television)? kunt u zonder bril of contactlenzen goed in de verte zien (bv. televisie kijken)? vision_far_adu_q_1 VISION2 2A 3B NEXT 18+
can you see close by without glasses or contact lenses (e.g. read a book)? kunt u zonder bril of contactlenzen goed dichtbij zien (bv. een boek lezen)? vision_near_adu_q_1 VISION3 2A 3B NEXT 18+
how old were you when you started wearing glasses or contact lenses? hoe oud was u ongeveer toen u voor het eerst een bril of contactlenzen kreeg? vision_aid_adu_q_1_b VISION4 2A 3B NEXT 18+
what was the main reason for buying those glasses or contact lenses? wat was de belangrijkste reden om die bril of contactlenzen aan te schaffen? vision_aid_adu_q_1_c VISION5 2A 3B NEXT 18+
how would you describe your general state of health? (past month) hoe zou u uw algehele gezondheidstoestand omschrijven? (afgelopen maand) vfq_ratehealth_adu_q_01 VISION6 2A NEXT 18+
how would you rate your eyesight in both eyes together at the moment (and glasses or contact lenses, if you wear these)? hoe zou u op dit moment zeggen dat uw gezichtsvermogen met beide ogen samen (met bril of contactlenzen, als u deze draagt) is? vfq_ratesight_adu_q_02 VISION7 2A 3B NEXT ACTQ 18+
how often do you worry about your eyesight? hoe vaak maakt u zich zorgen over uw gezichtsvermogen? vfq_worry_adu_q_03 VISION8 2A 3B NEXT 18+
how much pain or discomfort do you experience in and around your eyes (e.g. burning, itching or pain)? hoeveel pijn of ongemak hebt u in en rond uw ogen (bv. branderigheid, jeuk of pijn)? vfq_ocularpain_adu_q_04 VISION9 2A 3B NEXT 18+
did you have trouble reading a normal newspaper because of eyesight problems in the past month? hebt u de afgelopen maand moeite gehad vanwege uw gezichtsvermogen om een normale krantendruk te lezen? vfq_limitations_adu_q_05 VISION10 2A 3B NEXT 18+
did you have trouble with tasks or hobbies because of your eyesight because they required good close-up vision, such as cooking, sewing, repairing things around the house, the use of manual tools, in the past month? hebt u de afgelopen maand moeite gehad vanwege uw gezichtsvermogen met werkzaamheden of hobby’s waarbij u goed dichtbij moet kunnen zien, zoals koken, naaien, dingen in huis repareren, of bij het gebruik van handgereedschap? vfq_limitations_adu_q_06 VISION11 2A 3B NEXT 18+
did you have trouble finding something on a full shelf because of eyesight problems in the past month? hebt u de afgelopen maand moeite gehad vanwege uw gezichtsvermogen met het vinden van iets op een volle plank? vfq_limitations_adu_q_07 VISION12 2A 3B NEXT 18+
did you have trouble reading streets signs or shop names because of eyesight problems in the past month? hebt u de afgelopen maand moeite gehad vanwege uw gezichtsvermogen met het lezen van straatnaamborden of de namen van winkels? vfq_limitations_adu_q_08 VISION13 2A 3B NEXT 18+
did you have trouble, in the past month, stepping down a poorly lit step, stairs or kerb, or at night, due to of eyesight problems? hebt u de afgelopen maand moeite gehad vanwege uw gezichtsvermogen om een afstapje, een trap of een stoeprand af te stappen bij slechte verlichting of ’s nachts? vfq_limitations_adu_q_09 VISION14 2A 3B NEXT 18+
did you have trouble seeing things beside you while passing because of eyesight problems in the past month? hebt u de afgelopen maand moeite gehad vanwege uw gezichtsvermogen om dingen opzij op te merken terwijl u er langs loopt? vfq_limitations_adu_q_10 VISION15 2A 3B NEXT 18+
did you have trouble seeing how people react to you because of eyesight problems in the past month? hebt u de afgelopen maand moeite gehad vanwege uw gezichtsvermogen om te zien hoe mensen reageren op wat u zegt? vfq_limitations_adu_q_11 VISION16 2A 3B NEXT 18+
did you have trouble selecting and matching your own clothes because of eyesight problems in the past month? hebt u de afgelopen maand moeite gehad vanwege uw gezichtsvermogen met het uitzoeken en combineren van uw eigen kleding? vfq_limitations_adu_q_12 VISION17 2A 3B NEXT 18+
did you have trouble visiting people, going to a party or restaurant because of eyesight problems in the past month? hebt u de afgelopen maand moeite gehad vanwege uw gezichtsvermogen om bij mensen op visite te gaan, op feesten of in restaurants? vfq_limitations_adu_q_13 VISION18 2A 3B NEXT 18+
did you have trouble when going out to see movies, performances or sports events because of eyesight problems in the past month? hebt u de afgelopen maand moeite gehad vanwege uw gezichtsvermogen met het uitgaan om bioscoopfilms, theater of sportevenementen te zien? vfq_limitations_adu_q_14 VISION19 2A 3B NEXT 18+
do you drive a car? rijdt u momenteel auto? vfq_driving_adu_q_15 VISION20 2A NEXT 18+
what is the reason you do not/no longer drive a car? wat is de reden dat u nu geen auto (meer) rijdt? vfq_driving_adu_q_15_a VISION21 2A 3B NEXT 18+
did you have trouble driving a car during the daytime because of eyesight problems in the past month? hebt u de afgelopen maand moeite gehad vanwege uw gezichtsvermogen om overdag auto te rijden in een bekende omgeving? vfq_driving_adu_q_15_b VISION22 2A 3B NEXT 18+
have you had trouble driving a car at night because of eyesight problems in the past month? hebt u de afgelopen maand moeite gehad vanwege uw gezichtsvermogen om ’s nachts auto te rijden? vfq_driving_adu_q_16 VISION23 2A 3B NEXT 18+
did you have trouble driving under difficult circumstances, such as bad weather, during rush hour, on the motorway or in the city, because of eyesight problems in the past month? hebt u de afgelopen maand moeite gehad vanwege uw gezichtsvermogen met het rijden onder moeilijke omstandigheden, zoals bij slecht weer, tijdens het spitsuur, op de snelweg of in stadsverkeer? vfq_driving_adu_q_16_a VISION24 2A 3B NEXT 18+
macula degeneration / has an ophthalmologist ever diagnosed you with any of the eye diseases listed below? slijtage van het netvlies (maculadegeneratie) / heeft een oogarts bij u ooit onderstaande oogziekten vastgesteld? vision_macula_adu_q_1 VISION25A 2A 3B NEXT 18+
glaucoma / high eye pressure / has an ophthalmologist ever diagnosed you with any of the eye diseases listed below? glaucoom/hoge oogdruk / heeft een oogarts bij u ooit onderstaande oogziekten vastgesteld? vision_glaucoma_adu_q_1 VISION25B 2A 3B NEXT 18+
has a doctor ever diagnosed you with dry eyes? heeft een arts bij u ooit droge ogen vastgesteld? des_diagnosis_adu_q_01 VISION26 2A 3B NEXT 18+
how often do your eyes feel dry (not moist enough)? hoe vaak voelen uw ogen droog aan (niet nat genoeg)? des_dryness_adu_q_02 VISION27 2A 3B NEXT 18+
how often do your eyes feel irritated? hoe vaak voelen uw ogen geïrriteerd aan? des_irritation_adu_q_03 VISION28 2A 3B NEXT 18+
have you ever had laser surgery on your eyes? hebt u ooit een laserbehandeling aan de ogen gehad? vision_lasersurgery_adu_q_1_a VISION29 2A 3B NEXT 18+
posterior capsular opacification / for which condition did you have laser surgery? nastaar / voor welke aandoening hebt u een laserbehandeling gehad? vision_lasersurgery_adu_q_1_b VISION29A1 2A 3B NEXT 18+
glaucoma or high eye pressure / for which condition did you have laser surgery? glaucoom/hoge oogdruk / voor welke aandoening hebt u een laserbehandeling gehad? vision_lasersurgery_adu_q_1_c VISION29A2 2A 3B NEXT 18+
diabetes / for which condition did you have laser surgery? suikerziekte / voor welke aandoening hebt u een laserbehandeling gehad? vision_lasersurgery_adu_q_1_d VISION29A3 2A 3B NEXT 18+
to no longer have to wear glasses/contact lenses / for which condition did you have laser surgery? om van de bril/lenzen af te komen / voor welke aandoening hebt u een laserbehandeling gehad? vision_lasersurgery_adu_q_1_e VISION29A4 2A 3B NEXT 18+
other reason / for which condition did you have laser surgery? andere reden / voor welke aandoening hebt u een laserbehandeling gehad? vision_lasersurgery_adu_q_1_f VISION29A5 2A 3B NEXT 18+
i don't know or i don't remember / for which condition did you have laser surgery? weet ik niet (meer) / voor welke aandoening hebt u een laserbehandeling gehad? vision_lasersurgery_adu_q_1_g VISION29A6 2A 3B NEXT 18+
have you ever had eye surgery? bent u ooit aan de ogen geopereerd? vision_eyesurgery_adu_q_1_a VISION30 2A 3B NEXT 18+
cataract / for which condition did you have surgery? staar / voor welke aandoening bent u geopereerd? vision_eyesurgery_adu_q_1_b VISION30A1 2A 3B NEXT 18+
glaucoma / high eye pressure / for which condition did you have surgery? glaucoom/ hoge oogdruk / voor welke aandoening bent u geopereerd? vision_eyesurgery_adu_q_1_c VISION30A2 2A 3B NEXT 18+
retinal detachment / for which condition did you have surgery? netvliesloslating / voor welke aandoening bent u geopereerd? vision_eyesurgery_adu_q_1_d VISION30A3 2A 3B NEXT 18+
diabetes / for which condition did you have surgery? suikerziekte / voor welke aandoening bent u geopereerd? vision_eyesurgery_adu_q_1_e VISION30A4 2A 3B NEXT 18+
to no longer have to wear glasses/contact lenses / for which condition did you have surgery? om van de bril/lenzen af te komen / voor welke aandoening bent u geopereerd? vision_eyesurgery_adu_q_1_f VISION30A5 2A 3B NEXT 18+
other reason / for which condition did you have surgery? andere reden / voor welke aandoening bent u geopereerd? vision_eyesurgery_adu_q_1_g VISION30A6 2A 3B NEXT 18+
i don't know / don't remember / for which condition did you have surgery? weet ik niet (meer) / voor welke aandoening bent u geopereerd? vision_eyesurgery_adu_q_1_h VISION30A7 2A 3B NEXT 18+
are you using eye drops or eye gel now? gebruikt u momenteel oogdruppels of een ooggel? vision_medication_adu_q_1_a VISION31 2A 3B NEXT 18+
glaucoma or high eye pressure / for which condition are you using eye drops or eye gel? glaucoom/hoge oogdruk / waarvoor gebruikt u oogdruppels of ooggel? vision_medication_adu_q_1_b VISION31A1 2A 3B NEXT 18+
allergy / for which condition are you using eye drops or eye gel? allergie / waarvoor gebruikt u oogdruppels of ooggel? vision_medication_adu_q_1_c VISION31A2 2A 3B NEXT 18+
dry eyes / for which condition are you using eye drops or eye gel? droge ogen / waarvoor gebruikt u oogdruppels of ooggel? vision_medication_adu_q_1_d VISION31A3 2A 3B NEXT 18+
other reason / for which condition are you using eye drops or eye gel? andere reden / waarvoor gebruikt u oogdruppels of ooggel? vision_medication_adu_q_1_e VISION31A4 2A 3B NEXT 18+
i don't know / for which condition are you using eye drops or eye gel? weet ik niet / waarvoor gebruikt u oogdruppels of ooggel? vision_medication_adu_q_1_f VISION31A5 2A 3B NEXT 18+
1)
Van der Sterre GW et al. National Eye Institute visual functioning questionnaire – 25 Nederlandse Consensus Vertaling. September 2001
2)
Mangione CM et al. Psychometric properties of the national eye institute visual function questionnaire (NEI-VFQ). NEI-VFQ field test investigators. Arch Ophthalmol 1998;116(11):1496-504
3)
Mangione CM et al. Development of the 25-item National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire. Arch Ophthalmol. 2001;119:1050-1058
4)
Kodjebacheva G et al. Reliability and validity of abbreviated surveys derived from the national eye institute visual function questionnaire: The study of osteoporotic fractures. Am J Ophthalmol 2010;149(2):330-40
5)
Lloyd AJ et al. Psychometric validation of the visual function questionnaire-25 in patients with diabetic macular edema. Health Qual Life Outcomes 2013;1110,7525-11-10
6)
Marella M et al. The psychometric validity of the NEI VFQ-25 for use in a low-vision population. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2010;51(6):2878-84
7)
Orr P et al. Validation of the national eye institute visual function questionnaire-25 (NEI VFQ-25) in age-related macular degeneration. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2011;52(6):3354-9
8)
Revicki DA et al. Reliability and validity of the national eye institute visual function questionnaire-25 in patients with age-related macular degeneration. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2010;51(2):712-7
9)
Iyigun E, Bayer A, Tastan S, Demiralp M, et al. Validity and reliability study for the NEI-VFO-39 scale in chronic ophthalmic diseases–Turkish version. Acta Ophthalmol. 2010 Jun;88(4)
10)
Gulati A, Sullivan R, Buring JE, Sullivan DA, Dana R, Schaumberg DA. Validation and repeatability of a short questionnaire for dry eye syndrome. Am J Ophthalmol. 2006;142(1):125-131