The Assessment of Impaired Visual Functioning Due to Cataract

Barbara Haynes, GradDip(HlthRsrch Meth) DOBA
Linda Santamaria, MAppSc, DipAppSc(Orth) DOBA
Ian Story, PhD BBSc
Alison Pitt Med DBO(T)

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between objective and subjective measures of visual function in patients booked for cataract surgery. Visual acuity is the traditional objective measure of vision and yet this clinical measure can be difficult to equate with patients’ symptoms. One hundred subjects who were booked for first eye cataract surgery were recruited from the Royal Victorian Eye & Ear Hospital. Snellens visual acuity was recorded. Subjective visual function was assessed by a questionnaire related to performance of everyday tasks. Results show no straightforward relationship between self-reported visual functioning and visual acuity. No correlation was found between visual acuity in the eye to be operated on (worse eye) and the visual functioning questionnaire. However, a moderate correlation (rho=-0.403, p=0.0001) was found between visual acuity in the better eye and visual functioning. Visual functioning is more closely related to visual acuity in the better eye but cannot be fully explained by it. In accessing the timing of cataract surgery, self-reported visual functioning may be a more important indicator than visual acuity alone.