Increased Gait Speed After Cataract Surgery Confers Longer Predicted Survival

Cataract surgery has potential systemic health effects. Gait speed is a potential health index of predicted life expectancy and incidence of severe illness. We thus measured quality of vision and gait speed before and after cataract surgery.

A prospective clinical study.

We followed up 30 patients for 6 months following cataract surgery by implantation of a yellow soft acrylic lens. A 4-m gait speed was determined, and patients were evaluated before and after surgery using the National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire (vision-related quality of life) as well as ophthalmological and systemic examinations. Life span was estimated on the basis of standard curves derived from a literature.

Mean preoperative gait speed was 0.81 ± 0.23 m/s, with significant increases recorded at 2 and 6 months after surgery to 0.85 ± 0.20 and 0.91 ± 0.22 m/s, respectively (P < 0.01, paired t test). According to patient survival determined by gait speed, life expectancy (years) before and 6 months after surgery was approximately 83.4 and 84.9, respectively, for men (1.5-year increase) and 88.8 and 89.8, respectively, for women (1.0-year increase). The mean preoperative 25-item Visual Function Questionnaire score was 59.2 ± 16.3, and significant improvements were observed 2 months (76.2 ± 13.9) and 6 months (78.6 ± 14.4) after surgery (P < 0.001, vs preoperative score).

In conclusion, cataract surgery improved quality of vision and gait speed for 6 months.