Recovery of visual and functional disability following cataract surgery in older people: Sunderland Cataract Study.
OBJECTIVE
To examine changes in visual, psychological, and functional disability in older people waiting for cataract extraction and 6 months after surgery.


METHODS
Community-based study in Northeast England.


METHODS
Participants were 92 patients (mean age 78.1 years +/- 6.5 [SD], 79% female) with age-related cataract. Questionnaires were administered at time of listing for cataract extraction, 2 weeks preoperatively, and 2 and 6 months after surgery to assess visual symptoms and function, anxiety and depression, perceived health status, cognition, and activities of daily living.


RESULTS
Mean waiting time was 265 +/- 64.4 days. Forty-six patients had first-eye surgery, 39 had second-eye surgery, and 7 had sequential-eye surgery (both eyes operated on during follow-up). During the waiting period, there were no significant changes in visual symptoms, cognition, or functional abilities. However, perceived health status, anxiety, and depression improved significantly during this time. For first- and second-eye patients, surgery resulted in significant improvements in all questionnaire scores, except activities of daily living.


CONCLUSIONS
Despite waiting 9 months for cataract surgery, patients did not decline in visual symptoms, social functioning, or cognition. In first- and second-eye patients, successful cataract extraction resulted in significant gains in visual function, cognition, and emotional and general well-being. The benefits of cataract surgery in older people extended beyond simple measures of visual acuity.
Gray
Christopher S
CS
School of Clinical Medical Sciences, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, UK. chris.gray@chs.northy.nhs.uk
Karimova
Gulia
G
Hildreth
Anthony J
AJ
Crabtree
Louise
L
Allen
David
D
O'connell
Janice E
JE
D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000523:psychology; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000503:physiopathology; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology; D003863:Depression / Q000503:physiopathology; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D019654:Lens Implantation, Intraocular; D008297:Male; D018918:Phacoemulsification; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000502:physiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D006113:United Kingdom; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology*; D014850:Waiting Lists