R. Superstein et al., GLARE DISABILITY AND CONTRAST SENSITIVITY BEFORE AND AFTER CATARACT-SURGERY, Journal of cataract and refractive surgery, 23(2), 1997, pp. 248-253
Purpose: To determine whether brightness-induced glare decreases spati
al contrast sensitivity and visual acuity in preoperative cataract pat
ients with functional visual complaints and to compare preoperative wi
th postoperative results. Setting Sir Mortimer B. Davis Jewish General
Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Methods: Twenty patients with a v
isual acuity of 20/70 or better at the time of chart selection and no
other ocular pathology who were referred for cataract surgery were eva
luated with the Optec 3000 vision tester to assess contrast sensitivit
y and visual acuity in the presence and absence of glare, Testing was
done preoperatively and 1 and 3 months postoperatively. Results: An an
alysis of Variance indicated that there were statistically significant
double interactions between the preoperative/postoperative and glare/
no-glare variables and between the preoperative/postoperative and spat
ial frequency variables. Postoperatively, visual acuity and contrast s
ensitivity improved to within normal limits. There were no statistical
ly significant differences in visual acuity and spatial contrast sensi
tivity between 1 and 3 months postoperatively. Conclusion: Spatial con
trast sensitivity and glare testing provided objective assessment of p
atients who had good visual acuity yet also had functional complaints.