ILLUMINATED NEAR CARD ASSESSMENT OF POTENTIAL VISUAL-ACUITY

Purpose: To determine the accuracy of predicting potential visual acui ty in patients having neodymium:YAG (Nd:YAG) laser capsulotomy using a new device, the illuminated near card (INC). Setting: Private practic e, New York, New York. Methods: Thirty-eight consecutive patients havi ng Nd:YAG laser capsulotomy were studied prospectively by comparing th e postoperative distance Snellen acuity to the visual acuity obtained preoperatively using (1) a near vision reading card, (2) the INC, and (3) the INC viewed through a pinhole. Results: Patients reported that the INC was easy to use; none with a visual acuity better than 20/200 had difficulty finding the illuminated letters through the pinhole. In eyes with a precapsulotomy distance acuity of better than 20/200, the correlation between precapsulotomy and postcapsulotomy acuities was s tatistically significant (P < .001) for the INC viewed through the pin hole. A significant correlation between precapsulotomy and postoperati ve acuities was not found for the INC viewed alone or for the near car d (P > .05). In patients with a precapsulotomy distance acuity of 20/2 00 or worse, the INC with pinhole, the INC, or the near card did not p redict postoperative acuity (P > .05). Conclusion: In eyes with a prec apsulotomy distance acuity better than 20/200, the INC with pinhole pr edicted postoperative distance acuity within one Snellen line in 97% o f eyes (29/30), which is comparable to reports using other potential a cuity testers. The INC viewed through a pinhole improves image resolut ion by the stenopaic hole without the low light intensity of the reduc ed aperture.