Quality of life after first- and second-eye cataract surgery - Five-year data collected by the Swedish National Cataract Register

Purpose. To study the benefits of surgery and satisfaction with vision afte r first- and second-eye cataract surgery in comparable groups of patients. Setting. Clinics participating in the Swedish National Cataract Outcome Stu dy from 1995 to 1999. Methods: A prospective observational study evaluated patients' seif-assesse d visual function and satisfaction with vision before and 6 months after ca taract extraction. Patients who had another cataract surgery in the fellow eye during the 6-month study were excluded. Data of 8595 patients having ca taract extraction at participating clinics during the month of March for 19 95 to 1999 were collected. Preoperative and intraoperative data were report ed at the time of surgery. Final postoperative visual acuity was recorded. The Catquest questionnaire was completed before surgery and 6 months after surgery. Results: First-eye surgery was performed in 5570 patients and second-eye su rgery, in 3025. Patient-assessed benefits of surgery and satisfaction with vision as defined by the Catquest was higher after second-eye surgery (P < .001). The outcomes were studied in detail in patients with equal visual ac uity in the fellow eye before and after surgery and without ocular comorbid ity. The better outcome after second-eye surgery was most pronounced in pat ients with good or intermediate visual acuity in the fellow eye. Conclusion: The self-assessed visual outcomes and satisfaction with vision were better after second-eye surgery than after first-eye surgery in compar able groups of patients. (C) 2001 ASCRS and ESCRS.