Visual Acuity Outcomes after Cataract Extraction in Adult Latinos: The Los Angeles Latino Eye Study
Presented at: Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology Annual Meeting, May 2006, Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Received 12 December 2006; received in revised form 25 May 2007; accepted 25 May 2007. published online 10 September 2007.
Purpose
To determine prevalence, primary causes, and risk indicators of visual impairment in cataract-operated eyes.
Design
Population-based cross-sectional study of adult Latinos.
Participants
Two hundred sixty-one participants with cataract extraction.
Methods
Participants underwent an in-home interview and a comprehensive ophthalmologic examination. Visual impairment in the cataract-operated eye was defined by presenting visual acuity (PVA) of 20/40 or less or best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) of 20/40 or less. The association of cataract extraction status (aphakic, pseudophakic) and severity of visual impairment was evaluated. Risk indicators associated with visual impairment by BCVA in the worse-seeing cataract-operated eye were evaluated.
Main Outcome Measures
Visual acuity, causes of visual impairment, and risk indicators associated with visual impairment.
Results
Of the 261 participants with at least one cataract extraction and a complete clinical examination, 100 (38%) participants had undergone a unilateral extraction and 161 (62%) had undergone bilateral extractions. The prevalence of visual impairment was 41% (n = 107) defined by BCVA and 60.5% (n = 158) defined by PVA in the worse-seeing cataract-operated eye, and 32.2% (n = 136) defined by BCVA versus 48.1% (n = 203) defined by PVA in all cataract-operated eyes. Uncorrected refractive error, age-related macular degeneration, and diabetic retinopathy were the primary causes of visual impairment, accounting for 49% in worse-seeing cataract-operated eyes and 57% in all cataract-operated eyes. Self-reported history of glaucoma, barriers to eye care, and unmarried participants were independent risk indicators associated with visual impairment (P<0.05).
Conclusions
Despite cataract surgery, a significant proportion of participants had residual visual impairment. Refractive correction eliminated visual impairment in 15% to 20% of the participants, demonstrating the need for regular ophthalmologic examinations in cataract-operated patients.
Available online: September 12, 2007.
1Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland.
2Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Economics and Policy, School of Pharmacy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California.
3Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California.
4Doheny Eye Institute and Department of Ophthalmology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California.
Correspondence to Rohit Varma, MD, MPH, Doheny Eye Institute, Suite 4900, 1450 San Pablo Street, Los Angeles CA 90033.
Manuscript no. 2006-1430.
Supported by the National Eye Institute and National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities, Bethesda, Maryland (grant nos. EY-11753, EY-03040), and an unrestricted grant from Research to Prevent Blindness, Inc., New York, New York. Dr Varma is a Research to Prevent Blindness Sybil B. Harrington Scholar.
The authors have no proprietary or commercial interest in any materials discussed in the article.
⁎ A complete list of the Study Group members can be found in Varma et al.13
ABSTRACT