الملخص الإنجليزي
Objectives: The post-operative vision is used as benchmark
to determine the quality of cataract surgery. However, late
presentation and co-morbidities influence the visual gain and they
should also be considered while auditing cataract surgeries. The
authors present method of analysis of cataract surgeries for older
than 30 years of aged patients performed by ophthalmologists in
Oman during 2003.
Methods: Ophthalmologists evaluated visual and ocular status
of eyes with cataract. Cataract was operated using operative
microscope and lens was implanted in the eye. The vision was
recorded six weeks after surgery and visual gain was grouped from
postoperative vision in relation to the preoperative vision. Presence
of co-morbidities like glaucoma, corneal opacities, macular
degenerations and others were considered while evaluating visual
outcomes.
Results: 3,485 eyes operated were included in our study. 3,003
(86.2%) of them were operated by extra-capsular cataract
extraction and lens implantation. Following surgery, 960 (27.5%)
eyes had vision ≥6/18. 1,483 (42.6%) eyes had vision between
6/60 and 6/18. 233 (6.8%) eyes had vision <3/60. Excellent
grade of vision gain in relation to preoperative visual status was
found in 2,250 (64.6%) eyes, 'good' visual gain was in 422 (12.1%)
eyes and 'poor' visual gain was in 335 (9.6%) eyes. Postoperative
visual status was significantly associated to the co-morbidities.
(p<0.001). Nearly 14% of persons were lost to the follow up.
Conclusion: In countries like Oman with high prevalence of
trachoma, glaucoma and diabetes, the proposed grading of visual
gain that accounts for the preoperative vision and the presence
of co-morbidity could be better option for auditing the cataract
surgery.
