Disilva Davis1, S. Remadevi2, Accamma Mamman3
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.
