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. 2025 Aug;47(8):2192-2200.
doi: 10.1002/hed.28133. Epub 2025 Mar 14.

Vision Changes After Head and Neck Cancer Treatment

Hsiao-Lan Wang  1   2 , Megan Heskett  3 , Peng Li  1 , Laura Dreer  1 , David Vance  1 , Susan McCammon  1   2 , Kailei Yan  3 , Amanda Elliott  3
Affiliations

Vision Changes After Head and Neck Cancer Treatment

Hsiao-Lan Wang et al. Head Neck. 2025 Aug.

Abstract

Background: Literature about ocular toxicity after head and neck cancer (HNC) treatment is scarce. This study aimed to describe visual function and ocular symptoms among HNC patients.

Methods: The study used a cross-sectional design. Two surveys, The National Eye Institute Visual Functioning Questionnaire (NEI-VFQ) and an Ocular Symptom Scale, were sent to participants via e-mail. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the sample in the vision change and non-vision change groups. Chi-square and t-tests were used to compare groups.

Results: Of the 485 HNC patients emailed, 126 responded to the survey (26%). Of those, 114 completed the surveys. The scores of NEI-VFQ were significantly lower in the vision change group than in the non-vision change group (p < 0.001). Similarly, all ocular symptoms were significantly different between the two groups (p < 0.05).

Conclusions: These findings and a scarcity of literature suggest that vision screening after HNC treatment is warranted.

Keywords: National Eye Institute's Visual Function Questionnaire; head and neck cancer; ocular symptoms; vision change; visual function.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Comparisons of NEI‐VFQ 25 scores. [Color figure can be viewed at wileyonlinelibrary.com]
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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