Benefit to patients of bilateral same-day cataract extraction: Randomized clinical study.

PURPOSE

To compare patients' self-assessed visual function after bilateral surgery performed on the same day with visual function after surgery in 1 eye at a time.

SETTING

Department of Ophthalmology, Blekinge Hospital, Karlskrona, Sweden.

METHODS

Patients with bilateral cataract were assigned randomly to 2 groups, patients having bilateral surgery on the same day and patients with 2 surgeries done 2 months apart. Both groups were examined before and 2 months and 4 months after surgery. All patients completed the Catquest questionnaire at each ophthalmic examination.

RESULTS

Until both eyes were operated on, patients having surgery in 1 eye had significantly more difficulties performing daily life activities (P<.001) and a worse binocular contrast sensitivity (P<.01) than patients who had bilateral surgery on the same day. Four months after surgery of both eyes in both groups, there was no difference in visual function.

CONCLUSIONS

Bilateral cataract surgery on the same day allowed rapid rehabilitation of the patient and helped avoid suboptimal visual function in daily life while waiting for second-eye surgery. However, there was no extra long-term benefit of self-assessed visual function compared with cataract surgery in 1 eye at a time.