Long-Term Visual Outcome Following Cataract Surgery Using Intraocular Lens – A Community-Based Cross-Sectional Study

S Priyadharshini

doi:10.13189/ujph.2021.090602

Abstract

Purpose: Long-term follow up and determination of visual acuity in the community is seldom carried out to examine the outcome of medical intervention, but the same is routinely assessed after cataract surgery [short-term] in medical camps and hospitals. Setting: Rural areas in Chidambaram town, Cuddalore district, Tamil Nadu, South India. Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: All patients who underwent cataract surgery with intraocular lens (IOL) implantation were included in this study. With a 5.4% prevalence of cataract operated cases in the community, 95% confidence limit and 5% absolute precision, sample size was calculated as eighty-two. Door-to-door survey was conducted to obtain the sample. Data was collected using proforma and visual acuity was assessed using Snellen's chart. Data analysis was done using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 18. Chi-square test was used to assess the association between different parameters and determine the visual acuity status. The obtained p value of < 0.05 was considered significant. Results: Uncorrected, present visual acuity in the first cataract-operated eye, 53 [64.6%], 25[30.5%] and 4 [4.9%] of operated eyes had poor vision, near normal vision and normal vision, respectively whereas it was 14[31.2%], 29 [64.4%] and 2 [4.4%] in the second. Long-term subjective visual outcome was reported to be good in the postoperative period in 51[62.2%] of cases. Conclusion: In the course of the long-term follow up, it is revealed that a majority of the operated cases have near normal or poor vision [uncorrected]. Vision can be improved by the simple correction of refractive error.

Highlights

Cataract remains the most common cause for preventable blindness in India and all over the world [1]
PCIOL, when performed by a skilled ophthalmologist, offers good vision [best-corrected visual acuity of 6/12 or better] to 90% of the patients [5] and an equal proportion of patients are generally satisfied with their surgical outcome [6]
The comprehensive literature survey indicates that a majority of the patients who underwent cataract operation had near-normal vision while a few were noted to have poor vision [uncorrected] during their long-term follow up

Summary

Introduction

Cataract remains the most common cause for preventable blindness in India and all over the world [1]. It has been estimated that about half of all cases of blindness in developing countries like India are due to cataract [2]. Extra-capsular cataract extraction with implantation of intraocular lens in the posterior chamber [PCIOL] is the commonly practiced surgical procedure for the management of cataract [4]. Though this effective and inexpensive surgical procedure holds the distinction of being the most commonly preferred ophthalmic surgery at a global level, the surgical outcome of the same remains a challenge.

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Discussion

Conclusion