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Health‐related quality of life after cataract surgery with the phacoemulsification technique and intraocular lens implantation
Author(s) -
PorelaTiihonen Susanna,
Roine Risto P.,
Sintonen Harri,
Kaarniranta Kai,
Kokki Merja,
Kokki Hannu
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
acta ophthalmologica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.534
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1755-3768
pISSN - 1755-375X
DOI - 10.1111/aos.12755
Subject(s) - medicine , cataract surgery , phacoemulsification , intraocular lens , quality of life (healthcare) , population , significant difference , ophthalmology , prospective cohort study , surgery , visual acuity , nursing , environmental health
Purpose Disease‐specific instruments have shown significant gains in measuring health‐related quality of life ( HRQ oL) in subjects having cataract surgery. However, the usage of generic instruments has resulted in conflicting evidence. Methods In this prospective study, we have evaluated the impact of cataract surgery on subjects’ HRQ oL measured with a 15‐dimension generic instrument, the 15D. The HRQ oL of cataract subjects was compared with that of an age‐ and gender‐standardized sample of the general population in Finland. A total of 152 subjects (mean age 74 years, 66% females) with a first‐eye cataract surgery completed the 15D questionnaire both before and 12 months after cataract surgery. Results When compared with the general population, cataract subjects had much lower HRQ oL at baseline (mean difference 0.037 (95% CI : 0.020, 0.054), p < 0.001). At 12 months after cataract surgery, the overall utility index improved from the mean of 0.837 to 0.855 (mean difference 0.018 (95% CI : 0.007, 0.029), p = 0.002). Significant improvement was observed on the following five dimensions: seeing, moving, hearing, usual activities and discomfort/symptoms in the 15D questionnaire. Conclusion Our data indicate that at 12 months after first‐eye cataract surgery, patients’ HRQ oL is slightly better than that before surgery. However, patients’ postoperative HRQ oL may remain lower than that of an age‐and gender‐standardized control population.