The Effect of Cataract Surgery on Stereoacuity, Balance, and Falls in Patients With Senile Cataract

To investigate the effect of cataract surgery on visual acuity, stereoacuity, balance, and falls in patients with senile cataract.

Prospective, cross-sectional study. The patients were divided into group 1 if the first surgery was performed on the dominant eye and group 2 on the nondominant eye. After a complete ophthalmologic examination, all patients underwent stereoacuity tests (Titmus and TNO test); Berg Balance Scale and the number of falls in the last 36 months were recorded. All assessments were performed at three time points: the preoperative period, 6 months after the first surgery (primary endpoint), and 24 months after the second surgery (secondary endpoint).

The mean number of falls was 4.95±2.6/year in the preoperative period and 1.43±0.59/year in the postoperative period. The incidence of falls after the second surgery decreased by 53.15% compared with the preoperative period. The number of falls and preoperative stereoacuity were negatively and moderately correlated (r=-0.546) ( P =0.033). In univariate and multivariate analysis, only low preoperative corrected distance visual acuity in the dominant eye was associated with poor stereoacuity ( P =0.001) and a high number of falls ( P <0.001) in the preoperative period.

Cataract surgery in patients with senile cataracts not only improves visual acuity but also increases stereoacuity level, improves balance, and decreases falls. These effects should be further studied in multicenter, large-participant studies.