The Correlation of Age and Postoperative Visual Acuity for Age-Related Cataract

Patient selection to optimize near vision performance with a low-addition trifocal lens

PURPOSE

To assess the impact of ocular biometric variables on the visual performance achieved with a low addition trifocal intraocular lens (MIOL).

METHODS

Retrospective observational study including 34 eyes. Preoperative measured variables included mean corneal power (Km), corneal regular astigmatism (RA), anterior chamber depth (ACD), axial length (AXL), total irregular astigmatism (IA), spherical aberration (SA) and distance from pupil center to vertex normal (µ). Same variables were retrieved from the three month visit follow-up in addition to the actual lens position (ALP), the calculated effective addition (EA), the IOL centration from vertex normal (d), and the visual acuity defocus curve. The area under the defocus curve was computed along the total curve (TAUC) and ranges for far (FAUC), intermediate (IAUC) and near vision (NAUC). The sample was split in two groups of 17 eyes with TAUCs above and below the mean, and the differences among groups for different ocular parameters were assessed.

RESULTS

The group of eyes above TAUC of 2.03 logMAR*m-1 showed significantly lower Km and greater AXL and SA. Km was negatively correlated with TAUC and NAUC. NAUC was negatively correlated with IA and positively with d. A multiple lineal regression model including Km, d, and IA predicted NAUC (r-square = 34%). No significant differences between IA and SA were found between preoperative and postoperative values but µ significantly decreased after surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

The mean corneal power, irregular astigmatism, and centration from vertex normal should be considered for optimizing the near visual performance with this MIOL.

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors may lead to improved cataract surgery outcomes in patients with amblyopia

Purpose

To evaluate the effects of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI)/serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) medications in combination with cataract surgery in treating amblyopia in adult patients.

Patients and methods

A retrospective chart review study was conducted on patients who had undergone cataract surgery at the Johns Hopkins Hospital Wilmer Eye Institute. Six inclusion criteria were used to assess patient eligibility: 1) >18 years of age, 2) diagnosis of amblyopia, 3) diagnosis of cataract and treatment with surgery, 4) electronic medical record contains pre-surgery and post-surgery visual acuity (VA) measurements, 5) electronic medical record contains information on whether the patient was ever prescribed a SSRI/SNRI and the treatment duration, and 6) interocular VA difference of two lines or more on Snellen chart prior to cataract surgery. From each record, preoperative VA, postoperative VA, date of surgery, date at which postoperative VA was measured, and age at surgery were collected.

Results

A total of 237 patients were included, with 38 of them being on SSRI/SNRI. The mean improvement in VA after surgery was not significantly greater in patients on SSRI/SNRI (SSRI/SNRI: −0.276 logMAR, control: −0.192 logMAR, p=0.15). Multivariable regression was subsequently performed and while holding all other variables constant, demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in VA in patients on SSRI/SNRI (95% CI: −0.194, −0.0116, p=0.03). The regression analysis further demonstrated that advanced age has an adverse effect on the change in post-op VA (CI: 3.34×10⁻³ logMAR, 9.77×10⁻³ logMAR, p<0.005). Worse baseline VA is associated with a greater improvement in post-op VA (95% CI: −0.659 logMAR, −0.463 logMAR, p<0.005) but adverse effect on the absolute post-op VA (95% CI: 0.341 logMAR, 0.544 logMAR, p<0.005).

Conclusion

This study suggests that patients with amblyopia undergoing cataract surgery may potentially have a greater visual improvement when treated with SSRI/SNRIs.