Improvements in clinical and functional vision and quality of life after second eye cataract surgery

Purpose: To determine whether there is a need for second eye cataract surge ry or whether cataract surgery in one eye provides sufficiently adequate vi sion. Methods: The vision of 43 patients was assessed using a battery of cl inical vision tests, performance-based functional vision tests, and quality of life questionnaires, both before and a few months after cataract surger y. Twenty-five patients underwent second eye surgery and 18 patients underw ent first-eye surgery. To determine whether cataract surgery returned visio n to normal levels, a control group of 25 subjects of a similar age with no rmal, healthy eyes was also assessed, Results: Overall, greater improvement s occurred in most aspects of vision after first eye surgery than after sec ond eye surgery. However, second eye surgery provided similar improvements in mobility orientation and self-reported night driving to those after firs t eye surgery, and substantially greater improvements in stereoacuity and r eductions in anisometropia, Conclusions: The study provides additional evid ence to support the need for second eye cataract surgery. Second eye surger y may be particularly important to improve mobility orientation and the avo idance of falls.