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Impact of Cataract Surgery on Quality of Life in Plateau State, Nigeria
Abstract
Aim: To evaluate the outcome of cataract surgery subjectively by
assessing functional vision in terms of quality of life(QOL),
activities of daily living (ADL), and patient’s satisfaction.
Methodology: This was an observational and multicentered
study in which patients with age-related cataract who had
surgery in Plateau State from 1st October 2002 – 31st March
2003 constituted the population. The study instrument was
the standardized Visual Function (VF-14) and Quality of Life
(QOL) questionnaires developed by the Cataract Patient
Outcome Research Team (PORT), and designed to measure
the impact of impaired vision on patient’s ability to perform
daily activities. Patient’s satisfaction was assessed in relation
to the hospital environment, friendliness of staff, nature of
surgery and visual restoration.
Result: Two hundred patients were recruited. One hundred and
ninety-nine (59.5%) of them were male and 81(40.5%) were
female. About 34.5% of the study population were farmers, 97
(48.5%) of them were blind and 183 (83.6%) eyes were blind
preoperatively. The mean preoperative visual function (VF)
and quality of life (QOL) scores of the ninety-seven blind
patients were 15.2 (SD 3.9) and 22.4 (SD 4.5) respectively.
There was a positive correlation between visual acuity (VA)
and subjective visual function ( r = 0.92), and between VA
and QOL ( r = 0.83). Functional vision improved after
cataract surgery; it was more remarkable among blind
patients with mean VF and QOL scores of 58.3 and 60.5
respectively. One hundred and twenty-one (80.1%) patients
expressed satisfaction with the outcome of surgery.
Conclusion: Visual impairment from cataract has a wide
implication on health and the quality of life of patients.
Cataract surgery in our environment leads to an increase in
the quality of life for many cataract-blind patients
assessing functional vision in terms of quality of life(QOL),
activities of daily living (ADL), and patient’s satisfaction.
Methodology: This was an observational and multicentered
study in which patients with age-related cataract who had
surgery in Plateau State from 1st October 2002 – 31st March
2003 constituted the population. The study instrument was
the standardized Visual Function (VF-14) and Quality of Life
(QOL) questionnaires developed by the Cataract Patient
Outcome Research Team (PORT), and designed to measure
the impact of impaired vision on patient’s ability to perform
daily activities. Patient’s satisfaction was assessed in relation
to the hospital environment, friendliness of staff, nature of
surgery and visual restoration.
Result: Two hundred patients were recruited. One hundred and
ninety-nine (59.5%) of them were male and 81(40.5%) were
female. About 34.5% of the study population were farmers, 97
(48.5%) of them were blind and 183 (83.6%) eyes were blind
preoperatively. The mean preoperative visual function (VF)
and quality of life (QOL) scores of the ninety-seven blind
patients were 15.2 (SD 3.9) and 22.4 (SD 4.5) respectively.
There was a positive correlation between visual acuity (VA)
and subjective visual function ( r = 0.92), and between VA
and QOL ( r = 0.83). Functional vision improved after
cataract surgery; it was more remarkable among blind
patients with mean VF and QOL scores of 58.3 and 60.5
respectively. One hundred and twenty-one (80.1%) patients
expressed satisfaction with the outcome of surgery.
Conclusion: Visual impairment from cataract has a wide
implication on health and the quality of life of patients.
Cataract surgery in our environment leads to an increase in
the quality of life for many cataract-blind patients
