Comparison of the potential acuity meter and pinhole tests in predicting postoperative visual acuity after cataract surgery.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the accuracy of potential acuity meter (PAM) and pinhole (PH) tests in predicting visual acuity after cataract surgery.


METHODS
Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of the Philippines, Philippine General Hospital, Manila, and Asian Eye Institute, Makati, Philippines.


METHODS
This prospective study comprised 64 eyes with mild to moderate cataract that had uneventful phacoemulsification. The PAM and PH tests were performed to predict postoperative visual acuity. Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) 4 weeks after surgery was compared with the predicted visual acuity. The number of lines of inaccuracy was calculated by subtracting the BCVA from the predicted visual acuity. The variables analyzed were type of predictive test and preoperative BCVA. The eyes were divided according to preoperative BCVA as follows: Group 1, 20/20 to 20/50; Group 2, 20/60 to 20/100; Group 3, 20/200 or worse.


RESULTS
The PH predicted visual acuity was correct in 5% of eyes and the PAM predicted acuity, in 17%. The PH predicted acuity was accurate within 1, 2, and 3 lines of BCVA in 23%, 40%, and 54% of eyes, respectively, and the PAM predicted acuity, in 64%, 81%, and 92% of eyes, respectively. The mean number of lines of inaccuracy was significantly less with the PH than with the PAM (3.47 lines +/- 2.42 [SD] and 1.60 +/- 1.55 lines, respectively) (P=.0005). The mean lines of inaccuracy in Group 1 were 2.49 +/- 1.52 for the PH and 1.14 +/- 0.99 for the PAM (P=.027); in Group 2, 3.17 +/- 1.99 PH and 1.65 +/- 1.80 PAM (P=.642); and in Group 3, 6.58 +/- 3.03 PH and 2.67 +/- 2.10 PAM (P=.240).


CONCLUSIONS
The PAM was more accurate than the PH in predicting visual acuity after cataract surgery. The accuracy of both tests decreased in patients with poorer preoperative visual acuity.
Uy
Harvey S
HS
Asian Eye Institute, Makati City, Philippines.
Munoz
Victor Michael R
VM
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D006801:Humans; D019654:Lens Implantation, Intraocular; D008875:Middle Aged; D018918:Phacoemulsification; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011446:Prospective Studies; D019591:Pseudophakia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D014787:Vision Tests / Q000379:methods*; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology*