title: Results of cataract surgery in the very elderly population.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of our study was to retrospectively evaluate the effectiveness and safety of cataract surgery and intraocular lens implantation (IOL) for patients aged 90 years or older, whom we define as "very elderly."
  
  
  METHODS
  The study involved a total number of 122 patients (122 eyes) with senile cataracts. The mean age of patients was 91.2 ± 2.3 years (range 90-100 years old). Phacoemulsification (phaco) was done on 113 of 122 eyes, and 9 of 122 eyes had extracapsular cataract extraction (ECCE). Postoperative visual acuity and intraocular pressure (IOP) were analyzed on the first postoperative day, 3 months after surgery, and 6 months after surgery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) improved in 100 of 122 eyes (82.0%). BCVA remained the same in 20 of 122 eyes (16.4%) and decreased in 2 of 122 eyes (1.6%), mainly because of coexisting age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The BCVA 3 months after surgery was ≥0.8 in 23 of 122 eyes (18.9%), between 0.5 and 0.7 in 28 of 122 eyes (22.3%), and between 0.2 and 0.4 in 33 of 122 eyes (27.1%). We found significant implications of cataract surgery on decreasing IOP in the studied group of patients suffering from glaucoma compared to the patients without glaucoma.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Advanced age is not a contraindication for cataract surgery. The results of the study showed that when systemic conditions are stable, both phaco and ECCE with IOL for very elderly patients are effective and safe.
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital No 5, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland. kasia@marat.com.pl
authors: Katarzyna
authors: K
authors: Michalska-Małecka
authors: Mariusz
authors: M
authors: Nowak
authors: Piotr
authors: P
authors: Gościniewicz
authors: Jacek
authors: J
authors: Karpe
authors: Ludmiła
authors: L
authors: Słowińska-Łożyńska
authors: Agnieszka
authors: A
authors: Łypaczewska
authors: Dorota
authors: D
authors: Romaniuk
mesh_terms: D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002387:Cataract Extraction; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care / Q000379:methods; D011044:Poland; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology
keywords: cataract surgery; intraocular pressure; postoperative best corrected visual acuity; very elderly patients
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