Quantification of the reduction of glare disability after standard extracapsular cataract surgery

Glare disability is often cited as an indication for cataract extraction, but very little objective data exist showing improvement of glare disability following standard extracapsular cataract extraction with posterior chamber intraocular lens implantation. In a series of 25 patients we determined glare disability by the reduction in visual acuity with dim room lighting (baseline) and with full room lights; with the brightness acuity tester (BAT) on low, medium, and high; with the true vision analyzer (TVA) glare light. Glare disability was quantified by the difference between the log VA postoperatively and the log VA preoperatively. Glare disability with BAT medium was no different than that with bright room lights (P greater than .05). Glare disability with BAT high was greater than that with BAT medium (P less than .01) but did not differ from that with TVA (P greater than .05). Glare disability was significantly reduced (P less than .01) six weeks postoperatively as measured by all tests except BAT low. Cataract surgery can be expected to reduce glare disability as measured by these tests.