[Pilot study of the Heidelberg diplopia questionnaire].

PURPOSE: To test the visual-function-related quality of life in patients with diplopia, we designed a new questionnaire: the Heidelberg diplopia questionnaire.

PATIENTS AND

METHODS

In a prospective study, 51 patients with different ocular motility diseases (congenital and acquired) were asked about their everyday life impairment. The questionnaire encompasses the following subscales: duration of diplopia, spatial perception, motion in space, driving difficulties, difficulties at work, near vision, social function, and subjective complaints.

RESULTS

The median composite questionnaire score correlated well with the patients' subjective complaints (Spearman's rho 0.70, p=0.000001) and their driving difficulties. There was a weak correlation with the clinical assessment of diplopia in the field of binocular vision based on the suggestions of Haase and Steinhorst and of Kolling.

CONCLUSION

The Heidelberg diplopia questionnaire records patients' subjective complaints concerning diplopia. This study serves as the starting point for further studies in this field.