Visual Outcome of Small Incision Cataract Surgery

Abstract

Aim: To determine the visual outcome of the patients who underwent manual small incision cataract surgery (MSICS).

Study design: Prospective, observational study.

Duration and Settings of the study:  From December 2021 to April 2022 at Kawasoti Eye Hospital, Nepal.

Methods: This study included 255 eyes of 255 patients with age-related cataracts who underwent MSICS with intraocular lens implantation (IOL). All the consecutive patients who were 40 years of age and above, and presented for cataract surgery from the outreach camp service, were included in the study.

The exclusion criteria consisted of age less than 40 years, those who underwent phacoemulsification, traumatic cataracts, and subluxated lenses, patients wanting cataract surgery for cosmetic reasons, uncontrolled systemic hypertension, and diabetes mellitus. While ocular comorbidities were not excluded from the study.  Informed written consent was obtained from all patients before their enrollment in this study.

Pre-operative evaluation included a comprehensive eye examination which was performed on all the patients referred from the outreach camp for cataract surgery. Cataract surgery was then performed on all the patients and visual outcome was assessed. The vision was recorded on Snellen’s chart as well as converted to a Logarithm of the Minimum Angle of Resolution (Log MAR).  Data was entered and analyzed using IBM SPSS software version 16.

Results: In this study, 255 eyes of 255 patients were evaluated with a mean age of 69.64 years. Male patients were 131(51.4%) and female patients were 124(48.6%). Visual acuity significantly improved in postoperative examinations performed on the first day, first week, and fifth week as compared to preoperative visual acuity (p=0.009).

Conclusion: Visual outcome monitoring after the cataract surgery especially in the outreach camp is required to be performed to increase the congruity of the community toward such welfare programs.