Musch et al reported an 18-item measure of symptom burden for a patient with glaucoma. This can be used to monitor the patient over time and to assess the effects of therapy. The authors are from the University of Michigan, University of Georgia, and the US Food and Drug Administration,
Patient selection: glaucoma
Assessment period: past 7 days
Local eye symptoms:
(1) eye irritation or burning
(2) foreign body sensation (feeling like something is in the eye)
(3) droopy eyelids
(4) excessive tearing
(5) sensitivity of skin around the eyes
(6) eye pain
(7) red eyes
Visual function symptoms:
(1) difficulty with distant vision
(2) changes in depth perception
(3) difficulty with near vision
(4) visual distortion
(5) dimming of vision
(6) trouble with color vision
(7) blurry vision
(8) difficulty with light transition
(9) difficulty seeing in dark places
(10) difficulty with bright lights
(11) difficulty seeing when stepping down
|
Response
|
Points
|
|
a lot
|
5
|
|
moderate
|
4
|
|
mild
|
3
|
|
slight
|
2
|
|
not at all
|
1
|
subscore for local eye symptoms =
= SUM(points for all of the items)
subscore for visual function symptoms =
= SUM(points for all of the items)
total score =
= (points for local eye symptoms) + (points for visual function symptoms)
Interpretation:
• minimum subscore for local eye symptoms: 7
• minimum subscore for visual function symptoms: 11
• minimum total score: 18
• maximum subscore for local eye symptoms: 35
• maximum subscore for visual function symptoms: 55
• maximum total score: 90
• The higher the score the greater the symptom burden.
