title: Vision-specific function and quality of life after cataract extraction in south India.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess visual and overall patient function after intracapsular (ICCE) and extracapsular (ECCE) cataract extraction in rural South India.
  
  
  METHODS
  Aravind Eye Hospital, Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu, South India, and the Dana Center for Preventive Ophthalmology, Wilmer Eye Institute, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study evaluated preoperative visual acuity and demographic information and postoperative visual acuity and functional status measures in 71 patients having ECCE with posterior chamber intraocular lens (IOL) placement and 73 patients having ICCE with aphakic spectacle correction at Aravind-Tirunelveli Eye Hospital, Tamil Nadu, India. The principal outcomes assessed were visual acuity; quality-of-life score (possible range 0 to 100%); visual function measurement (possible range 0 to 100%).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients in the ECCE group scored 10.17 (P = .0001) points higher than those in the ICCE group on the visual function scale after adjustment for differences in age, sex, level of education, marital status, residence, and type of employment. The ECCE group scored 7.69 points higher on visual function when adjusting for the differences in best corrected visual acuity, which was also better in the ECCE group. In the quality-of-life assessment, 77.1% in the ECCE group and 46.6% in the ICCE group scored 90% or better (OR 3.85; P = .006).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients in rural south India having ECCE with posterior chamber IOL implantation obtained better postoperative visual function, quality of life, and visual acuity than those receiving ICCE with aphakic spectacle correction. These differences, which were not significantly affected by adjustment for age, sex, education, marital status, type of residence, and occupation, indicate that ECCE is clearly superior to ICCE.
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Oliver
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Thulasiraj
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rahmathullah
authors.lastname: Baburajan
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Katz
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Tielsch
authors.forename: O D
authors.initials: OD
authors.lastname: Schein
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002387:Cataract Extraction; D003906:Developing Countries; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D019654:Lens Implantation, Intraocular; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014785:Vision, Ocular / Q000502:physiology; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology*