Objective: To analyze cataract surgery outcomes and related factors in eyes presenting with good visual acuity.
Subject and Methods: Retrospective longitudinal of patients undergoing phacoemulsification between the years 2014-2018 in Moorfields Eye Hospital and satellite units. Pre- and postoperative visual acuity (unaided, with glasses, with pinhole) were analyzed. Inclusion criteria were age≥40 years and pinhole visual acuity ≥6/9 preoperatively. Exclusion criteria were no postoperative visual acuity data. VA change variable was also defined according to postoperative visual acuity being above or below the Snellen 6/9 threshold.
Results: 2720 eyes were included in the analysis. The unaided LogMAR visual acuity improved from 0.54 to 0.20 (p<0.001), the LogMAR visual acuity with glasses improved from 0.35 to 0.05(p<0.001) and the LogMAR pinhole visual acuity improved from 0.17 to 0.13(p<0.001). 8.1% of patients had Snellen visual acuity <6/9 postoperatively. Mean follow up period was 23,6±9.9 days. In multivariate logistic regression, factors associated with visual acuity <6/9 postoperatively were: age [OR=0.96, 95% CI (0.95, 0.98), p<0.001], vitreous loss [OR=0.21, 95% CI (0.08, 0.56), p=0.002] and iris trauma [OR=0.28, 95% CI (0.10, 0.82) p=0.02]. No significant adverse events occurred.
Conclusions: Visual acuity improved significantly overall in this group of patients, although at least 8.1% of them did not reach their pinhole preoperative visual acuity. Worse visual acuity outcomes were associated with increasing age, vitreous loss and iris trauma. The 6/9 vision threshold may not be able to accurately differentiate those who may benefit from cataract surgery and those who may not.