title: Age-related maculopathy and cataract surgery outcomes: visual acuity and health-related quality of life.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess visual acuity (VA) and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) outcomes in patients with and without age-related maculopathy (ARM) after cataract surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients aged 60+ years who had undergone cataract surgery at the Westmead Hospital during 2001-2003 were re-examined 1-3 years after surgery. Tests included VA and assessment of visual- and HRQoL using standardised questionnaires (VF-14, SF-12). Preoperative comorbidity data were collected from medical records. Poor surgical outcomes (VA<6/12; no VA improvement; lowest quintile of VF-14, SF-12 scores) were compared in patients with and without ARM, adjusting for age, sex, preoperative systemic comorbidities, ocular comorbidities and surgical or postoperative complications.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 622 surviving patients, 454 (73%) were followed up for a mean period of 2.8 years. Similar proportions with VA>or=6/12 were observed in patients with (80.2%) and without (88.8%) pre-existing ARM. Preoperative early ARM was only associated with slightly lower mean VF-14 scores (87.64 with vs 92.58 without ARM, P=0.01). Increasing age and preoperative ocular comorbidities were associated with all poor outcomes measured. Low SF-12 scores were associated with preoperative systemic comorbidities.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study documents favourable cataract surgical outcomes 1-3 years after cataract surgery in patients with preoperative ARM.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Centre for Vision Research, Westmead Millennium Institute, University of Sydney, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: T Q
authors.initials: TQ
authors.lastname: Pham
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cugati
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rochtchina
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mitchell
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Maloof
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002387:Cataract Extraction / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology*