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The Impact of Phacoemulsification Surgery on Vision-Related Quality of Life in Senile Cataract Patients

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First Author: C.Akpolat TURKEY

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Abstract Details

Purpose:

To evaluate the effect of the phacoemulsification surgery on the vision-related quality of life (VR-QOL) in patients with senile cataract using the 25-item National Eye Institute Visual Functioning Questionnaire (NEI-VFQ-25) and functional independence measure (FIM) tests.

Setting:

The data collection was retrospective. The study was counducted in a tertiary eye clinic according to the Declaration of Helsinki.

Methods:

NEI-VFQ-25 and FIM tests were measured by a masked ergo-therapist. The patients who underwent phacoemulsification surgery were included in the current study. Mean best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), NEI-VFQ-25 and FIM scores were compared in the preoperative period and at least 3 months after the surgery according to demographic properties including gender, age, education status as well as the BCVA level and laterality.

Results:

Preoperative mean BCVA and NEI-VFQ-25 composite scores improved significantly (P<0.001 and P=0.001, respectively). All NEI-VFQ-25 subscale scores except the general health (P=0.235) and driving (P=0.226) showed a significant postoperative increase. The postoperative NEI-VFQ-25 composite scores showed a significant increase in all subgroup analyses (P<0.05 for all). Patients with poorer BCVA, bilateral surgery, and low education status had lower preoperative NEI-VFQ-25 composite scores than the patients with better BCVA, unilateral surgery and high education status (P=0.026, P=0.016, and P=0.032, respectively). All FIM scores were similar in the preoperative and postoperative periods regardless of subgroup analyses (P>0.05 for all).

Conclusions:

Phacoemulsification surgery can provide a satisfying improvement in VR-QOL in patients with cataracts. As a valid and reliable test, the NEI-VFQ-25 scale can be used to measure the visual function after the ocular surgeries.

Financial Disclosure:

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