Cataract surgery from a gender perspective - a population based study in Sweden

Purpose: To determine the presence of any gender-related differences of pre operative subjective visual functional problems that may explain the higher frequency of cataract surgery found in women. Methods: All patients (n=453) who, during a one-year period, underwent cata ract surgery at Norrlands University Hospital, Umea, Sweden, were included in the study. Incidence, age-distribution, visual acuity, self-estimated ab ility to perform vision dependent tasks as well as subjective symptoms from the cataractous eyes preoperatively and visual acuity after surgery were a nalyzed separately in males and females. Results: Before surgery there were no statistically significant differences between men and women in visual acuity of the eyes to be operated on and t he fellow eyes. Preoperatively women had significantly more subjective prob lems with distance-estimation for near and far (57% and 60%, respectively) compared to males (45% and 43%, respectively). Women had significantly larg er problems orientating in unfamiliar surroundings. Conclusion: There are gender-related differences in self-assessed visual fu nction before surgery that might contribute to the higher incidence of cata ract surgery in women. Preoperatively women experience a higher degree of v isual functional problems than men, Women were not found to demand cataract surgery earlier than men when preoperative visual acuities were compared.