Clinical outcome measures in vision and eye care

Traditionally, clinical outcome assessments have focused on the patient’s perspective through patient-reported outcome assessments; however, given the complexity, integration, and interactions of various participants within the clinical ophthalmology setting, we propose that additional diverse clinical perspectives should be explored in order to appreciate fully the value of care provided to patients. In this review we introduce a framework by which clinical outcome assessments (COAs) can be organized. Our COA framework is composed of five outcome measurements that encompass the perspectives of each player in a patient’s care: clinical data-reported outcomes, patient-reported outcomes, clinician-reported outcomes, observer-reported outcomes, and reviewer-reported outcomes. By establishing a standard for evaluating patient care, we hope to address gaps in expectations of patient care and encourage more thoughtful patient-clinician relationships.