title: Early assessment of visual acuity after cataract surgery in rural Indonesia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The accuracy and impact on service uptake of early examination after cataract surgery is not known.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective cohort study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cataract patients in rural Indonesia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Visual acuity was measured preoperatively, 1day, 1-3, 4-6 and >12weeks after surgery, and 6-8months postoperatively at an outreach examination. Acceptance of second-eye surgery and spectacles was evaluated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Presenting visual acuity in the operated eye.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among 241 subjects (extracapsular surgery 84%), examinations at 1day, 1-3, 4-6 and >12weeks and 6-8months were completed for 100% (241), 90.9% (219), 67.6% (163), 22.0% (53) and 80.0% (193), respectively. Among subjects at the final examination (mean age 65.8±10.6years, 51.8% male), 73.6% had bilateral preoperative presenting visual acuity≤6/60. By 4-6weeks, the proportion with good (≥6/18) or poor (≤6/60) visual acuity did not differ significantly from the final examination. Among 49 persons accepting free second-eye surgery, 69.4% (34) and 16.3% (8) returned to clinic at 4-6 and >12weeks, respectively. Among 131 patients (67.9%) paying US$7 for glasses, 94 (71.8%) and 30 (22.9%) attended 4- to 6- and >12-week examinations, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Even with large-incision surgery, early assessment of postoperative vision is representative of final vision, and may help deliver postoperative services to more of those needing them.
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Fakultas Kedokteran Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia.
authors: Anna
authors: A
authors: Bani
authors: Dandan
authors: D
authors: Wang
authors: Nathan
authors: N
authors: Congdon
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002387:Cataract Extraction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005139:Eyeglasses / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007214:Indonesia / Q000453:epidemiology; D019654:Lens Implantation, Intraocular; D007910:Lenses, Intraocular; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011446:Prospective Studies; D019591:Pseudophakia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology*