[Quality of life following cataract surgery].

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate quality of life improvement after cataract surgery.

METHODS

Measurement of quality of life in 60-80-year-old patients undergoing phacoemulsification, both genders and able to comprehend the SF-36 quality of life questionnaire. The SF-36 explores the differences in quality of life before and after surgery. The questionnaire was completed prior to cataract surgery and six months after.

RESULTS

The answers of 75 patients were evaluated in this study. The average age was 73.88 S.E. 5.27 years old. After the surgery physical function increased (p=0.001), as did role limitation due to physical problems (p=0.007) and social function (p=0.003). Body pain, role limitation due to emotional problems, vitality, energy or tiredness, general health perception and health improved after surgery compared to one month before, but these findings were not statistically significant.

CONCLUSIONS

Quality of life can be measurably improved by cataract surgery. Disease-specific questionnaires, such as the SF-36, should be used whenever possible as an outcome measure in clinical practice. The phacoemulsification cataract surgery has proved to be effective in improving quality of life.