The Auckland Cataract Study: 2 year postoperative assessment of aspects of clinical, visual, corneal topographic and satisfaction outcomes.

AIM: To assess clinical, visual, computerised corneal topographic, and subjective satisfaction with visual acuity, in a cohort of subjects 2 years after phacoemulsification surgery in a public hospital in New Zealand. METHODS: Prospective study of a representative sample of 97 subjects (20%) randomly selected from 480 subjects in the original Auckland Cataract Study (ACS) cohort. The clinical assessment protocol was identical to the ACS and included an extensive questionnaire to enable direct comparisons to be made between the two groups. RESULTS: The study population was predominantly female (66%) with a mean age of 76.3 (SD 9.9) years. New systemic and ocular disease affected 18.4% and 10.3% of subjects respectively, and 10.3% required referral to either a general practitioner (2.1%) or ophthalmologist (8.2%). Mean best spectacle corrected visual acuity (BSCVA) was 0.2 (0.2) logMAR units (6/9 Snellen equivalent), with mean spherical equivalent -0.37 (1.01) dioptres (D) and astigmatism -1.07 (0.70) D 2 years postoperatively, compared to mean BSCVA 0.1 (0.2) logMAR units (6/7.5 Snellen equivalent), spherical equivalent -0.59 (1.07) D, and astigmatism -1.14 (0.77) D 4 weeks after surgery. 94.9% of subjects retained a BSCVA of 6/12 or better, irrespective of pre-existing ocular disease. The overall posterior capsule opacification (PCO) rate was 20.4% and this was visually insignificant in all but 3.1% of eyes that had already undergone Nd:YAG posterior capsulotomy. Orbscan II elevation technology demonstrated corneal stability 2 years after uncomplicated phacoemulsification. Although corneal astigmatism was eliminated in approximately half of the subjects 1 month postoperatively, astigmatism showed a tendency to regress towards the preoperative level with local corneal thickening at the site of incision 2 years after cataract surgery. Of fellow eyes, 61.2% had undergone cataract surgery. Overall, 75.3% of subjects were moderately to very satisfied with their current level of visual acuity. CONCLUSION: Two years after cataract surgery subjects are generally satisfied with their current level of vision and distance BSCVA is 6/12 or better in the majority of eyes. Although only a minority of eyes develop sufficient PCO to require capsulotomy 10.3% of eyes develop new vision threatening ocular pathology.

The waiting game: natural history of a cataract waiting list in New Zealand.

AIMS: To identify the demographic and visual function of patients on the reserve waiting list for cataract surgery at a large public hospital within New Zealand and to determine the ultimate outcome of those on a priority-based, rationed, health-care waiting list. METHODS: Patients from a defined geographical population, placed on a reserve waiting list for possible cataract surgery, during the period January 1997 to March 2000, were invited to attend for further clinical assessment and asked to complete a visual assessment questionnaire. RESULTS: Of 193 patients in the pilot study group who had been on the reserve waiting list for a mean of 18.2 +/- 11.6 months (range 0.1-62.7 months), only 94 (49%) were deemed suitable for, and subsequently underwent, surgery in the public sector. Forty-nine (25%) had undergone surgery earlier, the majority of these (84%) in the private sector. A further 23 (12%) patients were deceased, four (2%) declined surgery and in six (3%) cataract surgery was no longer indicated. The remaining 11 (6%) patients could not be traced. Patients still awaiting surgery had a mean age of 77.2 years (range 48-95 years). Fifty-four were women. Vision had deteriorated by a mean of 0.05 LogMAR units, from Snellen equivalent 6/30 at listing to 6/36, over this time. CONCLUSIONS: Current methods of prioritization for cataract surgery are imperfect, as are the resources for performing adequate levels of cataract surgery. Analysis of a residual waiting list for cataract surgery highlights that the majority (51%) do not ultimately progress to cataract surgery in the public sector for a variety of reasons. During a mean waiting time of 1.5 years vision further deteriorates in this predominantly older population.

The Auckland Cataract Study: demographic, corneal topographic and ocular biometric parameters.

PURPOSE: To determine patient demographics and the ocular biometric parameters in patients presenting for cataract surgery within the public hospital system, in a defined New Zealand population. METHOD: Prospective study of 502 eyes of 488 consecutive patients undergoing cataract surgery. A clinical assessment, including refraction, keratometry (K), A-scan ultrasound and Orbscan II computerized topography was performed on each eye. RESULTS: The mean age of the group was 74.9 +/- 9.8 years (mean +/- SD) with a female predominance (62%). Ethnic origin included 72% European, 8% Maori, 10% Pacific Islander, 4% Asian, 3% Indian and 3% other ethnic origins. The mean Log MAR visual acuity of eyes prior to cataract surgery was 0.88 +/- 0.57 (approximately 6/48(-1)). Corneal topographic (keratometric) maps were classified into five groups: 34% round, 10% oval, 31% symmetrical bow tie, 12% asymmetrical bow tie and 13% irregular. The mean steepest K measurement was 44.1 +/- 1.7 D, the median keratometric astigmatism 0.89 D (range 0.0-6.5 D) and the steepest corneal meridian was horizontal in 50% and vertical in 43%. Seven per cent of corneas were spherical. Refraction revealed a mean sphere of 0.0 +/- 3.1 D and a mean cylinder of -1.2 (range 0.0-7.5 D). Refractive astigmatism was with-the-rule in 15%, against-the-rule in 50% and oblique in 15%, with 20% spherical. Axial length was a mean of 23.14 +/- 1.03 mm. CONCLUSION: Patients presenting for cataract surgery in this study were predominantly elderly, female, of European Caucasian ethnicity and exhibited relatively poor corrected visual acuity in the affected eye. Interestingly, 41% of eyes demonstrated bow-tie topographic patterns, largely exhibiting with-the-rule astigmatism. However, assessment by keratometry or refraction highlighted against-the-rule more frequently; this may have implications for combined cataract and astigmatic surgery. The mean axial length was slightly shorter than expected for a group of predominantly European ethnic origin, although the mean refractive error was emmetropic.