Improvement in Cognitive Status and Depressive Symptoms Three Months after Cataract Surgery

Cataract induced vision impairment can lead to loss of older people's independence and self-esteem and limit their daily activities. Moreover it has comorbid cognitive impairment and depression. Cataract surgery may be one way to attenuate these comorbidities. The aim of this study was to compare pre-operative and postoperative depressive symptoms and cognitive impairments of patients who underwent cataract surgery.

This study was a before - after clinical trial. Participants completed the following validated surveys one day before and again three months after surgery. Dependent variables were preoperative to postoperative within-patient difference in Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores. Independent variable was improvement of visual acuity.

Mean age was 71.77±8.08, 54% were females. Mean postoperative visual acuity improvement was 0.7720±0.1758, mean GDS score difference was -1.49±1.72 and mean MMSE score difference was 0.28±0.88. Postoperative improvement of visual acuity, GDS and MMSE scores were statistically significant (p=0.001). The mean visual acuity improvement in the participants with age over 80 years was lower than the younger subjects; while improvement in MMSE scores in this age group was significantly higher than them. There were no significant relationship between visual acuity, GDS and MMSE scores before and after surgery based on BMI and educational level.

It was concluded that cataract surgery is effective for relieving depressive symptoms in the elderly. Improved visual acuity at older ages has far more effects on reducing cognitive impairment.