Outcome of cataract surgery. II. Visual functioning in aphakic patients

The degree rehabilitation obtained by cataract surgery was evaluated by visual acuity and by Visual Functioning Index, which measures the patients' ability of performance of every-day tasks that are dependent on vision. Examinations and Index-scoring were done pre- and post-operatively and at one year follow-up in a non-selected, consecutive series of 114 cataract patients. 82% of the patients obtained a final visual acuity of 0.5 or more. Index scoring at follow-up was significantly improved and indicated that 74% had achieved normal or near-normal visual functioning. Furthermore, we compared visual functioning in monaphakics and biaphakics. Remarkably we found that basic visual functioning as measured by the Index seems equally good in the 2 groups except for the statistically significant better ability for selftransportation in biaphakics. The biaphakic patients, however, were much more satisfied with the outcome than monaphakic. It seems likely that basic visual functioning is gained by first eye surgery and that the more delicate visual functioning and a subjective 'vision-comfort' is the effect of second eye surgery.