Post operative visual outcomes after cataract surgery in a teaching hospital

Abstract

An uneventful cataract surgery with intraocular lens implant is capable of providing normal vision. Good visual outcome increases patient’s satisfaction and quality of life. Aim is to evaluate the postoperative complications and visual outcomes after manual small incision cataract surgery at a teaching hospital. In this study 100 patients who underwent uneventful SICS with PCIOL implant were followed up. Patients having pre-existing ocular disease were excluded. IOL power was accurately estimated. Visual acuity, anterior segment and fundus findings were recorded at each postoperative visit upto 6 weeks and in some cases upto 3months. We followed the visual outcome standards set by WHO. 53 males and 47 females in the age group of 45 to 75 and above were selected. On 1st post operative day 38% patients had quiet eyes. In 62% patients, decreased vision and complications observed on 1st post operative day and upto 1st week were: Striate keratopathy and corneal edema, anterior uveitis with pupillary membrane, residual lens matter, macular edema, endophthalmitis, intraocular hemorrhage with secondary glaucoma and IOL related causes. On the 6th postoperative week during spectacles prescription, 60% had uncorrected Astigmatism, 5% consecutive myopia/ hypermetropia and 8% had posterior capsular opacity. At 3 months follow up, 92% had good outcome, 3% patients had borderline outcome. 5% poor visual outcome was seen in patients with Bullous keratopathy, endophthalmitis, vitreous hemorrhage and longstanding macular edema.Our hospital based study reports 5% patients with poor visual outcome 3 months after uneventful cataract surgery.