The NEI VFQ-25C: Calibrating Items in the National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire-25 to Enable Comparison of Outcome Measures

PURPOSE: To improve the usefulness of the National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire-25 (NEI VFQ-25) by enabling estimation of measures on an invariant scale and comparisons between patients and across studies. METHODS: Datasets of baseline NEI VFQ-25 responses from nine studies (seven retina randomized trials, n = 2770; two low vision studies, n = 572) were combined. The method of successive dichotomizations was applied to patient ratings of the main NEI VFQ-25 and six supplemental items to estimate Rasch model parameters using the R package ‘msd.’ Calibrated item measures and rating category thresholds were estimated for the NEI VFQ-25, as well as for two domain-specific versions: the NEI VFQ-VF that includes only visual function items and the NEI VFQ-SE that includes only socioemotional items. RESULTS: Calibrated item measures were estimated from study participants (n = 3342) ranging in age from 19 to 103 years, with mean (SD) age of 69.3 (11) years and a mean logMAR visual acuity of 0.30 (Snellen 20/40). Item measure estimates had high precision (standard error range, 0.026–0.085 logit), but person measure estimates had lower precision (standard error range, 0.108–0.499 logit). Items were well targeted to most persons, but not to those with higher levels of function. CONCLUSIONS: Calibrated item measures and rating category thresholds enable researchers and clinicians to estimate visual, socioemotional, and combined measures on an invariant scale using the NEI VFQ-25. TRANSLATIONAL RELEVANCE: Applying NEI VFQ 25C calibrated item measures (software provided) to the NEI VFQ-25, users can estimate overall, visual, and socioemotional function measures for individual patients.