Factors Affecting Visual Outcome in Post-Operative Cases of Lens Induced Glaucoma - A Prospective Study

Abstract

BACKGROUND Lens induced glaucoma is common in India. By early identification and removal of cataract, vision loss due to lens induced glaucoma can be prevented. Of the 12.5 million blind people in India, 50 - 80 % is due to cataract. In developing countries like India financial, cultural, and psychosocial constraints still exist to access excellent surgical services. This study was undertaken to determine factors affecting postoperative visual acuity in patients with lens induced glaucoma and to estimate the proportion of cases attaining good visual acuity. METHODS This prospective cohort study was conducted in 85 cases of lens induced glaucoma admitted in Regional Institute of Ophthalmology during a period of 1 year from May 2018 - April 2019. All patients underwent a complete ophthalmic examination preoperatively as well as postoperatively. All patients underwent cataract surgery and postoperatively patients were followed up regularly at 1 day, 1 week and 4 week and were evaluated. RESULTS Majority of patients were in the age group of 70 - 79 years (35.3 %). Females outnumbered males by 13 %. Most of the patients had a preoperative intraocular pressure between 21 – 30 mmHg (37.6 %). On analysis of the impact of duration of symptom on postoperative visual acuity, 70.4 % patients attained visual acuity > 6 / 24 when presented within 3 days. This was statistically significant with a P value of 0.011. When preoperative visual acuity was hand movements vision or better, 79.2 % patients attained visual acuity > 6 / 24 and it was significant with a P-value of < 0.01. CONCLUSIONS Delayed presentation, elderly age and sustained rise in preoperative intraocular pressure are the factors leading to poor visual prognosis. As majority of the patients were pseudophakic in the fellow eye, it is necessary to council all patients regarding timely surgery in the second eye at the time of discharge. KEYWORDS Cataract, Secondary Glaucoma, Visual Outcome