THE INFLUENCE OF AGE ON CHARACTERISTICS OF CATARACT PATIENTS

The influence of age on 12 pre-, 1 intra-, and 2 postoperative patient 's characteristics was investigated in 1261 consecutively performed ex tracapsular cataract extractions. The following characteristics were s hown to be significantly associated with increasing age; cardiovascula r disease (p < 0.0005), female gender (p < 0.0005), nuclear sclerosis (p < 0.0005), maculopathy (p < 0.0005), corneal guttate (p = 0.008) an d reducing visual acuity in the fellow eye (p < 0.0005). Further, inad equate mydriasis at start of surgery was significantly associated with increasing age even after adjusting for glucoma and pseudoexfoliation (p = 0.00007). After adjusting for pseudoexfoliation, a statistically significant relationship still existed between age and glaucoma (p = 0.0235). Even after controlling for relevant variables, i.e. maculopat hy, a highly significant association was found between reducing visual acuity 4 months postoperatively and increasing age (p < 0.00005). Dia betes mellitus, the degree of cataract maturity, preoperative visual a cuity of the operating eye, vitreous loss and postoperative inflammato ry response were not significantly associated with increasing age.