{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,10]],"date-time":"2026-04-10T15:03:02Z","timestamp":1775833382540,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":46,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,1,12]],"date-time":"2025-01-12T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1736640000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["JCM"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a progressive, chronic eye disease with no permanent cure currently available. Symptoms of the disease, including distorted and blurred vision and gradual loss of central vision, significantly aggravate patients\u2019 daily functioning. The purpose of this study was to assess the acceptance of the disease among patients diagnosed with neovascular age-related macular degeneration before treatment and after receiving seven intravitreal injections and to determine how it was related to the values of visual parameters. Methods: This survey-based study was carried out using the author\u2019s questionnaire and a standardized research tool, the Acceptance of Illness Scale (AIS). It also involved the analysis of the patients\u2019 medical records. Results: The study included 121 patients (121 eyes), including 60 women and 61 men. The age range of the participants was 51\u201390 years. The mean and median age of the participants was 75 years. After undergoing a series of intravitreal injections, statistically significant improvements were observed in the degree of illness acceptance according to the AIS score. Data analysis revealed that the degree of disease acceptance was significantly related to visual acuity and contrast sensitivity. Conclusions: The acceptance of the disease among the study participants from the beginning of the therapy until receiving a series of seven intravitreal injections was at an average level. Acceptance of the disease was better before the beginning of the therapy, due to higher values of corrected visual acuity, and after the therapy, because of higher values of contrast sensitivity and corrected visual acuity.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/jcm14020447","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,1,13]],"date-time":"2025-01-13T06:42:15Z","timestamp":1736750535000},"page":"447","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["Acceptance of the Disease in Patients Diagnosed with Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration Depending on Visual Parameters\u2014Before and After a Series of Seven Intravitreal Injections"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"14","author":[{"given":"Marta","family":"Nowak","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, 71-210 Szczecin, Poland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6912-287X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Anna Maria","family":"Cybulska","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, 71-210 Szczecin, Poland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Daria","family":"Schneider-Matyka","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, 71-210 Szczecin, Poland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3679-7002","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"El\u017cbieta","family":"Grochans","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, 71-210 Szczecin, Poland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Ireneusz","family":"Walaszek","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, 71-210 Szczecin, Poland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1830-2114","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Mariusz","family":"Panczyk","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Education and Research in Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-091 Warsaw, Poland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0503-8847","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Grzegorz J\u00f3zef","family":"Nowicki","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Family and Geriatric Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Lublin, 20-059 Lublin, Poland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2200-3766","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Kamila","family":"Rachubi\u0144ska","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, 71-210 Szczecin, Poland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,1,12]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1147","DOI":"10.1016\/S0140-6736(18)31550-2","article-title":"Age-Related macular degeneration","volume":"392","author":"Mitchell","year":"2018","journal-title":"Lancet"},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"844","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ophtha.2012.10.036","article-title":"Clinical classification of age-related macular degeneration","volume":"120","author":"Ferris","year":"2013","journal-title":"Ophthalmology"},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"26","DOI":"10.1159\/000441033","article-title":"Metamorphopsia: An Overlooked Visual Symptom","volume":"55","author":"Midena","year":"2015","journal-title":"Ophthalmic Res."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"311","DOI":"10.1016\/B978-0-12-821377-3.00014-3","article-title":"Illusions, hallucinations, and visual snow","volume":"178","author":"Fraser","year":"2021","journal-title":"Handb. Clin. Neurol."},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"P1","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ophtha.2019.09.024","article-title":"Age-Related Macular Degeneration Preferred Practice Pattern\u00ae","volume":"127","author":"Flaxel","year":"2020","journal-title":"Ophthalmology"},{"key":"ref_6","first-page":"CD005139","article-title":"Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor for neovascular age-related macular degeneration","volume":"3","author":"Solomon","year":"2019","journal-title":"Cochrane Database Syst. Rev."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1419","DOI":"10.1056\/NEJMoa054481","article-title":"Ranibizumab for neovascular age-related macular degeneration","volume":"355","author":"Rosenfeld","year":"2006","journal-title":"N. Engl. J. Med."},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2537","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ophtha.2012.09.006","article-title":"Intravitreal aflibercept (VEGF trap-eye) in wet age-related macular degeneration","volume":"119","author":"Heier","year":"2012","journal-title":"Ophthalmology"},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1035","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ophtha.2005.02.007","article-title":"Systemic bevacizumab (Avastin) therapy for neovascular age-related macular degeneration twelve-week results of an uncontrolled open-label clinical study","volume":"112","author":"Michels","year":"2005","journal-title":"Ophthalmology"},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"72","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ophtha.2019.04.017","article-title":"HAWK and HARRIER: Phase 3, Multicenter, Randomized, Double-Masked Trials of Brolucizumab for Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration","volume":"127","author":"Dugel","year":"2020","journal-title":"Ophthalmology"},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"729","DOI":"10.1016\/S0140-6736(22)00010-1","article-title":"Efficacy, durability, and safety of intravitreal faricimab up to every 16 weeks for neovascular age-related macular degeneration (TENAYA and LUCERNE): Two randomised, double-masked, phase 3, non-inferiority trials","volume":"399","author":"Heier","year":"2022","journal-title":"Lancet"},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e011504","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjopen-2016-011504","article-title":"How does age-related macular degeneration affect real-world visual ability and quality of life? A systematic review","volume":"6","author":"Taylor","year":"2016","journal-title":"BMJ Open"},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Pondorfer, S.G., Terheyden, J.H., Heinemann, M., Wintergerst, M.W.M., Holz, F.G., and Finger, R.P. (2019). Association of Vision-related Quality of Life with Visual Function in Age-Related Macular Degeneration. Sci. Rep., 9.","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-019-51769-7"},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Roh, M., Selivanova, A., Shin, H.J., Miller, J.W., and Jackson, M.L. (2018). Visual acuity and contrast sensitivity are two important factors affecting vision-related quality of life in advanced age-related macular degeneration. PLoS ONE, 13.","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0196481"},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1246","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ophtha.2013.12.032","article-title":"The impact of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor treatment on quality of life in neovascular age-related macular degeneration","volume":"121","author":"Finger","year":"2014","journal-title":"Ophthalmology"},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1561","DOI":"10.1038\/eye.2015.167","article-title":"Understanding the patient\u2019s lived experience of neovascular age-related macular degeneration: A qualitative study","volume":"29","author":"McCloud","year":"2015","journal-title":"Eye"},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"343","DOI":"10.1037\/0022-006X.52.3.343","article-title":"Coping with chronic illness: A study of illness controllability and the influence of coping strategies on psychological adjustment","volume":"52","author":"Felton","year":"1984","journal-title":"J. Consult. Clin. Psychol."},{"key":"ref_18","unstructured":"Juczy\u0144ski, Z. (2009). Measurement Tools in the Promotion and Psychooncology of Health, Pracownia Test\u00f3w Psychologicznych."},{"key":"ref_19","first-page":"181","article-title":"Position Statement of the Polish Society of Ophthalmology establishing standards for the management of patients with exudative age-related macular degeneration","volume":"125","author":"Dobrowolski","year":"2023","journal-title":"Acta Ophthalmol. Pol."},{"key":"ref_20","first-page":"4","article-title":"Og\u00f3lnoustrojowa farmakokinetyka lek\u00f3w anty-VEGF podawanych doszklistkowo w leczeniu wysi\u0119kowego AMD","volume":"3","author":"Czajor","year":"2016","journal-title":"OphthaTher. Ther. Ophthalmol."},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Kowalczuk, K., Cybulski, M., Cybulski, \u0141., and Krajewska-Ku\u0142ak, E. (2019). Pain Perception and Acceptance of Illness in Patients Undergoing Phacoemulsification Cataract Surgery Under Drip Anesthesia. J. Clin. Med., 8.","DOI":"10.3390\/jcm8101575"},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"445","DOI":"10.4314\/ahs.v21i1.55","article-title":"Visual function, spectacle independence, and patients\u2019 satisfaction after cataract surgery\u2014A study in the Central Region of Ghana","volume":"21","author":"Kyei","year":"2021","journal-title":"Afr. Health Sci."},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Goldberg, D.G., Goldberg, M.H., Shah, R., Meagher, J.N., and Ailani, H. (2018). Pseudophakic mini-monovision: High patient satisfaction, reduced spectacle dependence, and low cost. BMC Ophthalmol., 18.","DOI":"10.1186\/s12886-018-0963-3"},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2503","DOI":"10.2147\/OPTH.S475812","article-title":"Impact of Sociodemographic and Psychological Factors on Adherence to Glaucoma Treatment\u2014A Cross-Sectional Study","volume":"18","author":"Malewicz","year":"2024","journal-title":"Clin. Ophthalmol."},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"413","DOI":"10.1007\/s13555-020-00368-w","article-title":"Acceptance of Illness, Satisfaction with Life, Sense of Stigmatization, and Quality of Life among People with Psoriasis: A Cross-Sectional Study","volume":"10","author":"Kowalewska","year":"2020","journal-title":"Dermatol. Ther."},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Piotrkowska, R., Kruk, A., Krzemi\u0144ska, A., M\u0119drzycka-D\u0105browska, W., and Kwiecie\u0144-Jagu\u015b, K. (2023). Factors Determining the Level of Acceptance of Illness and Satisfaction with Life in Patients with Cancer. Healthcare, 11.","DOI":"10.3390\/healthcare11081168"},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2401","DOI":"10.2147\/COPD.S112837","article-title":"The influence of frailty syndrome on acceptance of illness in elderly patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease","volume":"11","author":"Uchmanowicz","year":"2016","journal-title":"Int. J. Chronic Obstr. Pulm. Dis."},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.5604\/01.3001.0012.1753","article-title":"The influence of socio-demographic and clinical factors on the process of acceptance of the disease among patients with ulcerative colitis","volume":"90","author":"Gawor","year":"2018","journal-title":"Pol. Prz. Chir."},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"871","DOI":"10.17219\/acem\/94070","article-title":"Life activity, disease acceptance and quality of life in patients treated with renal replacement therapy since childhood","volume":"28","author":"Adamczuk","year":"2019","journal-title":"Adv. Clin. Exp. Med."},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"881","DOI":"10.2147\/NDT.S132757","article-title":"The influence of depression, level of functioning in everyday life, and illness acceptance on quality of life in patients with Parkinson\u2019s disease: A preliminary study","volume":"13","year":"2017","journal-title":"Neuropsychiatr. Dis. Treat."},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e3276","DOI":"10.7717\/peerj.3276","article-title":"Identification of demographic factors and health problems that affect the acceptance of disease and health behaviors of patients with osteoarthritis","volume":"5","author":"Sierakowska","year":"2017","journal-title":"PeerJ"},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"19","DOI":"10.1007\/5584_2019_386","article-title":"Acceptance of Illness Associates with Better Quality of Life in Patients with Nonmalignant Pulmonary Diseases","volume":"1176","author":"Chabowski","year":"2019","journal-title":"Adv. Exp. Med. Biol."},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"724","DOI":"10.1007\/s13187-019-01519-0","article-title":"Assessment of Pain, Acceptance of Illness, Adjustment to Life, and Strategies of Coping with Illness Among Patients with Gastric Cancer","volume":"35","author":"Religioni","year":"2020","journal-title":"J. Cancer Educ."},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1157","DOI":"10.21873\/invivo.12363","article-title":"Assessment of Pain, Acceptance of Illness, Adaptation to Life, and Strategies of Coping with the Disease, in Patients with Bladder Cancer","volume":"35","author":"Religioni","year":"2021","journal-title":"In Vivo"},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Czerw, A., Religioni, U., Sygit, K., Nieradko-Heluszko, A., M\u0119kal, D., Partyka, O., Mikos, M., Eid, M., Strz\u0119pek, \u0141., and Bana\u015b, T. (2021). Pain Control, Acceptance and Adjustment to the Disease Among Patients with Ovarian, Endometrial and Breast Cancer in Poland. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, 18.","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph182212148"},{"key":"ref_36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Pluta, A., Sulikowska, B., Manitius, J., Posieczek, Z., Marzec, A., and Morisky, D.E. (2020). Acceptance of Illness and Compliance with Therapeutic Recommendations in Patients with Hypertension. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, 17.","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph17186789"},{"key":"ref_37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"B\u0105k, E., Marcisz, C., Krzemi\u0144ska, S., Dobrzyn-Matusiak, D., Foltyn, A., and Drosdzol-Cop, A. (2017). Relationships of Sexual Dysfunction with Depression and Acceptance of Illness in Women and Men with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, 14.","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph14091073"},{"key":"ref_38","first-page":"124","article-title":"Assessment of diabetes acceptance and compliance with therapeutic recommendations in a patient with diabetes foot","volume":"14","author":"Cybulska","year":"2020","journal-title":"Surg. Vasc. Nurs."},{"key":"ref_39","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Yen, W.T., Wu, C.S., Yang, C.H., Chen, Y.H., Lee, C.H., and Hsu, C.R. (2024). Efficacy and safety of intravitreal faricimab for neovascular age-related macular degeneration: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Sci. Rep., 14.","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-024-52942-3"},{"key":"ref_40","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"158","DOI":"10.5114\/hpr.2018.71635","article-title":"The relationship between self-esteem, sense of self-efficacy and level of illness acceptance, and healthful behaviours in patients with long-term illnesses (type II diabetes, Hashimoto\u2019s disease)","volume":"6","author":"Rode","year":"2017","journal-title":"Health Psychol. Rep."},{"key":"ref_41","first-page":"37","article-title":"Akceptacja w\u0142asnej choroby przez pacjent\u00f3w z rozpoznana jaskra [Acceptance of own disease by patients with diagnosed glaucoma]","volume":"28","author":"Sierzantowicz","year":"2010","journal-title":"Pol. Merkur. Lek."},{"key":"ref_42","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"K\u00e4llstrand, J., Lindgren, E.C., and Carlsson, I.M. (2024). Perpetuating ability to live life as usual: A grounded theory study of persons living with age-related macular degeneration. BMC Geriatr., 24.","DOI":"10.1186\/s12877-024-04689-9"},{"key":"ref_43","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"917","DOI":"10.2147\/OPTH.S231913","article-title":"Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration (nAMD): A Review of Emerging Treatment Options","volume":"16","author":"Tan","year":"2022","journal-title":"Clin. Ophthalmol."},{"key":"ref_44","first-page":"513","article-title":"The Diagnosis and Treatment of Age-Related Macular Degeneration","volume":"117","author":"Stahl","year":"2022","journal-title":"Dtsch. Arztebl. Int."},{"key":"ref_45","first-page":"44","article-title":"The influence of anti-VEGF therapy on binocular vision in patients with age-related macular degeneration","volume":"119","author":"Uzdrowska","year":"2017","journal-title":"Acta Ophthalmol. Pol."},{"key":"ref_46","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.5603\/OJ.2016.0022","article-title":"Wyniki leczenia chorych z wysi\u0119kow\u0105 postaci\u0105 zwyrodnienia plamki zwi\u0105zanego z wiekiem przy u\u017cyciu preparat\u00f3w anty-VEGF stosowanych wed\u0142ug kryteri\u00f3w programu lekowego\u2014Wyniki w\u0142asne","volume":"1","author":"Ozimek","year":"2016","journal-title":"Ophthalmol. J."}],"container-title":["Journal of Clinical Medicine"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2077-0383\/14\/2\/447\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,8]],"date-time":"2025-10-08T10:27:15Z","timestamp":1759919235000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2077-0383\/14\/2\/447"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2025,1,12]]},"references-count":46,"journal-issue":{"issue":"2","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,1]]}},"alternative-id":["jcm14020447"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/jcm14020447","relation":{},"ISSN":["2077-0383"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2077-0383","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2025,1,12]]}}}