Psychiatric reactions complicating intracapsular cataract surgery. A 5 years follow-up

This follow-up study describes the 47 patients out of 1506 intracapsularly extracted cataracts (1505 patients) who presented with a psychotic reaction post-operatively. Matched non-psychotic cataract patients served as a control group. The mean age of both groups of patients was 78 years at time of surgery, female/male ratio was 39/8, and the mode of anaesthesia was local analgesia/general anaesthesia 16/31. The surgery had been performed in 1977-1979 and this follow-up examination in autumn 1983. Twenty-seven patients of the study group and 16 of the controls had died during the interval period. The difference between the groups was statistically significant. The patients of the study group were statistically significantly more dependent on nursing, and their mental performance, according to an orientation test, was more reduced, compared to the controls. Visual prognosis in the operated eye was unfavourable in the study group, versus the controls, mainly because of visual deprivation due to mental debilitation. Pre-operative vision did not predict future psychotic reaction.