Auditing of Poor Visual Outcomes After Un-eventual Cataract Surgery: a Prospective Cohort Study

Globally, cataract is the major cause of blindness accounting for 51% of total blindness and there are regional variations in it. Today, cataract surgery is a highly successful and cost-effective procedure, which enhances both the vision and quality of life of patients.

Visual acuity alone should not be used as a criterion for planning cataract surgery, since visual acuity and function do not necessarily correlate. Therefore, there is a need to review our criteria for management.

Based on recent studies, at least 90% of the patients undergoing cataract surgery obtain a postoperative visual acuity of 6/12 or better in the absence of coexisting ocular pathology.

A number of previous studies have looked at the effect of risk factors on visual outcomes following cataract surgery. Risk factors commonly associated with worse visual outcomes include: age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, corneal opacity/pathology, older age, female sex, previous vitrectomy, previous retinal detachment surgery, alpha-blockers, complex surgery, intraoperative complications and refractive surprise.