Glare sensitivity in corrected aphakes

Groups of elderly aphakic patients treated with contact lenses, spectacles and intraocular lenses, as well as elderly phakic patients, all with good visual acuity were tested for glare sensitivity. All groups showed comparable glare sensitivity. However, aphakic patients with lesn material, or postop membranes in the the pupil area, were statistically more glare sensitive. These membranes occur when the cataract extraction is extracapsular in nature. Finally, the study shows that measurement of visual acuity in the typical examination room environment does not accurately describe the manner in which the patient visually functions in a bright, glare laden environment.