Impact of ocular comorbidities on visual function and quality of life in cataract and pseudophakic patients

Abstract

Introduction: Age-related cataract (senile cataract) is one of the leading causes of preventable blindness in the world. Objective: To determine whether other ocular comorbidities (glaucoma, age related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy) affect visual function and quality of life in cataract and pseudophakic patients, and, if possible, to determine which disease has a significant effect. Methods: In this study 202 patients were examinated, regarding of the status of cataract on the second, following eye; the patients were divided into two groups: cataract and pseudophakia. Results: Patients with myopia and capsular glaucoma had significant improvement in average visual acuity (0.87 vs. 0.65) after surgery compared to preoperative results (0.38vs.0.24) (p<0.01). Also, patients with age related macular degeneration and non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy with an average preoperative visual acuity (0.05 vs. 0.05) after surgery have a significant improvement in average visual acuity (0.2 vs.0.2) (p<0.01). Patients with primary open-angle glaucoma have significant improvement in average postoperative visual acuity (0.28) compared to the preoperative results (0.05) (p<0.01), while patients with primary angle closure glaucoma had improvement in postoperative average visual acuity (0.1) compared to the preoperative results (0.05) (p<0.1). Conclusion: Significant improvements in postoperative average visual acuity compared to preoperative results reduce difficulties in vision-related activities thus providing higher quality of life.

Keywords

• cataract surgery
• ocular comorbidities
• visual acuity