Last update:
17-Mar-2007

OBJECTIVE This review aims to identify and describe reliable and valid measures of Health Related Quality of Life (HRQOL) for persons with refractive error, in order to guide health professionals in choosing the appropriate instrument for evaluation.

METHOD An electronic literature review through Medline and Cochrane database has been searched related to English articles published up until June 2005.

RESULTS Three HRQOL questionnaires, all fulfilling basic psychometric quality criteria, were detected through electronic literature review for articles published up until June 2005 (Medline and Cochrane database search): the Refractive Status and Vision Profile (2000), the National-Eye Institute-Refractive Error Quality of Life Instrument (2002) and the Quality of Life Impact of Refractive Correction Questionnaire (2004).

CONCULSIONS Each of the above disease-specific questionnaires measures different domains of HRQOL. Special consideration should be given to the specific needs of the population of interest when deciding which instrument to administer. These instruments should be adapted, standardized and used in the Greek population for evaluating HRQOL before and after refractive interventions. The results of such assessment may guide related health politics decisions.

Key words: Contact lenses, Glasses, Health-related quality of life, Refractive error, Refractive surgery.