SERIES ON EPIDEMIOLOGY - editorial

The need for patient-reported information has produced a plethora of questionnaires (commonly called instruments) that assess psychometric constructs. Examinations of scale reliability, validity, and responsiveness are desirable. There is considerable potential for modern psychometric methods to improve health outcomes measurement in ophthalmology. There is also a need for ophthalmic patient-reported research to look beyond the paper-based format and item-delimited scales.

Biosketch

Ecosse Lamoureux heads the Health Services Research Unit at the University of Melbourne, Department of Ophthalmology. His current research focuses on the epidemiology and risk factors of major eye diseases in Australia and overseas; the impact of vision impairment on QoL; and implementation research in diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma. In addition, A/Prof Lamoureux is considered an international expert in quality of life; questionnaire development and validation; and modern psychometric theory.

Konrad Pesudovs completed a PhD at Flinders University (South Australia) Department of Ophthalmology in 2000. He undertook post-doctoral training in the UK and the USA before returning to Flinders University in 2004, where, in 2009 he was appointed Foundation Chair of Optometry and Vision Science. His research interest is ophthalmology outcomes research; incorporating optical, visual and patient-reported measurement into holistic outcome assessment. A key element of his research is the development of patient-reported measures using Rasch analysis.

American Journal Of Ophthalmology February 2011
Accepted for publication Sept 18, 2010.

Ecosse Lamoureux and Konrad Pesudovs
From the Centre for Eye Research Australia, University of Melbourne, Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, East Melbourne, Victoria, Australia (E.L.);
NH&MRC Centre for Clinical Eye Research, Discipline of Optometry and Vision Science, Flinders University and Flinders Medical Centre-Australia, Adelaide, South Australia (K.P.).