Seigel K, Hopman W, tenHove M, Neves T, Groll D; Association for Health Services Research. Meeting.

Abstr Book Assoc Health Serv Res Meet. 1999; 16: 350.

MacKenzie Health Services Research Group, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada.

RESEARCH OBJECTIVE: Due to an aging North American population, cataract surgery is one of the most frequently performed procedures in the elderly. This study's primary objective is to determine the change in general and vision-specific patient-perceived quality of life that patients with visual impairment experience when surgey restores unilateral or bilateral (unimpaired) vision. STUDY DESIGN: The Short Form 36 (SF-36) general health questionnaire and the Visual Function 14 (VF-14) were completed prior to and three months post surgery. Patient chart review information such as sex, age, Snellen and Glare Acuity levels, and comorbidities were also abstracted. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Preliminary analysis reveals that both bilatrally and unilaterally impaired individuals experienced a significant change in visual and general health functioning as measured by the VF-14 and SF-36. Of the 19 bilaterally impaired patients (9 men and 10 women, mean age=73), neoplasm, followed by hypertension, ranked as the two most common comorbidities. Within the 18 unilaterally impaired patients (9 men and 9 women, mean age=71), stroke, followed by angina/myocardial infarction, were the two most common comorbidities. CONCLUSIONS: Cataract surgery indisputably improves patient perceived visual functioning. The differences in improvement of unilaterally impaired and bilaterally impaired patients will be discussed, as well, the potential impact of other patient characteristics obtained through chart review. IMPLICATIONS FOR POLICY, DELIVERY OR PRACTICE: Routine assessment of quality of life and comorbid conditions, in conjunction with vision-specific outcomes may provide practitioners with added insights into the benefits of first and second eye surgery.

Publication Types:

• Meeting Abstracts

Keywords:

• Aged
• Cataract Extraction
• Female
• Glare
• Humans
• Life
• Male
• Quality of Life
• Vision
• Vision Tests
• surgery
• hsrmtgs

Other ID:

• HTX/20602492

UI: 102194181

From Meeting Abstracts