Visual outcome with +10 diopter sphere correction after intracapsular cataract extraction.

BACKGROUND

The aim of curing cataract blindness is to restore the patient's vision after surgery. The aim of the study was to determine the proportion of surgeries done for cataract blind patients and the visual outcome with +10 diopter sphere (DS) aphakic correction in two consecutive years.

METHODS

Of the cataract operations done in the years 1995 and 1996, 8-15 cases were selected from each month by proportionate simple random sampling. Thirty-two (32) were excluded for incomplete or missing records. One hundred and eighteen (118) and one hundred (100) patient records were analyzed for 1995 and 1996 respectively.

RESULTS

The patients' ages ranged from 40 to 80 years and all had age related cataract. There were 161 males and 57 females. All had intracapsular cataract extraction (ICCE) without intraocular lens implantation. Eighty-nine patients (75%) and seventy-six patients (76%) had their sight restored in 1995 and 1996 respectively. The proportion of surgeries on blind patients' was 31% and 42% respectively. The proportion of those who remained blind after surgery was the same for both years (2%). Using chi-square test, there was a statistically significant difference in the patients' vision status after ICCE with +10 DS correction (1995, p = 0.021; 1996, p = 0.017) but no difference in the visual outcome due to gender. [1995, p = 2.09; 1996, p = 1.98 (Yates correction applied)] [corrected].

CONCLUSION

Intracapsular cataract extraction with +10 DS correction improves the patients vision status and priority must be given to those already blind.