Subjective assessment of the effect of cataract surgery and a review of long term aims

A questionnaire designed to test subjective assessment of functional improvement was given to 327 patients in a randomised controlled trial one year after operation for cataract. Approximately one-third of the patients had a contact lens fitted after intracapsular extraction (I/C) and two-thirds had intraocular implants after both I/C and extracapsular extraction. The great majority of patients admitted to functional improvement irrespective of treatment mode. A review of objective data from the study suggests that the beneficial effects of surgery are likely to be long lasting.