OBJECTIVES: To elicit utilities for health state of diabetic macular edema(DME) classified by best corrected visual acuity(BCVA) levels and find factors influencing utility values. METHODS: Health states were divided into 6 different BCVA levels: L1(logMAR≤0.2), L2(0.2<logMAR≤0.4), L3(0.4<logMAR≤0.6), L4(0.6<logMAR≤0.8), L5(0.8<logMAR≤1.0), L6(logMAR≥1.0). Detailed health state descriptions were developed through several steps: (1)literature search for DME health state descriptions, (2)developing health state descriptions based on EQ5D and other vision specific HRQOL questionnaires, and (3)consulting with ophthalmologists to confirm the appropriateness of the descriptions. Health state descriptions were measured by members of the general public in South Korea using the standard gamble method. Interviewees were selected based on stratification sampling method to represent the Korean population. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to test the differences in utilities stratified by study variables. Generalized linear model (GLM) was used to find the significant factors influencing disutility(1-utility) with log link function and gamma distribution. RESULTS: A total of 102 Koreans were interviewed with an average age of 47.3(±11.8)  and 51% females. Utilities were 0.95(±0.04), 0.93(±0.05), 0.88(±0.08), 0.84(±0.10), 0.74(±0.14) and 0.59(±0.18) for L1 to L6, respectively. Utilities were significantly different between males and females(p<0.05 for L2, L4, L5), with males reporting lower utilities. Interviewees with a full time job reported significantly lower utilities than those without full time jobs (p<0.05 for L1,L2,L4). For all levels of BCVA, utility for interviewees in their 50s were higher than subjects in their 30s. Education levels did not significantly impact utilities for all levels of the health states. CONCLUSIONS: Health utilities associated with BCVA levels were affected by sex, age and employment status of the interviewees, which may reflect the burden of visual impairment to obtain work. It is important to prevent and treat DME appropriately to improve HRQOL.