The effects of cataract extraction on the visual field of eyes with chronic open-angle glaucoma

Abstract

Purpose: To investigate effects of cataract extraction and intraocular lens placement on the visual field of eyes with chronic open-angle glaucoma.

Methods: A retrospective review was conducted of 41 eyes of 41 patients with visually significant cataract and chronic open-angle glaucoma who had undergone automated static perimetry within 6 months before and 6 months after phacoemulsification with intraocular lens placement.

Results: Comparison of preoperative and postoperative testing showed that the mean visual acuity, foveal threshold, and mean deviation improved significantly (P < .0001), while the mean pattern standard deviation and corrected pattern standard deviation worsened significantly (P < or = .03). Eyes not receiving miotics preoperatively did not have a significant postoperative change in the mean pattern and corrected pattern standard deviations. Increasing severity of glaucoma-related visual field loss was significantly associated with less improvement in the postoperative mean deviation (P = .0001). Only two (5%) of 41 eyes had worsening of the mean deviation of 1.0 dB or greater. The foveal threshold improved more than the mean deviation did but not significantly more, except in eyes with severe visual field loss.

Conclusions: Cataract extraction resulted in statistically significant improvement in visual acuity and foveal threshold in most eyes with glaucoma. In eyes with mild or moderate glaucoma-related damage, the mean deviation often improved significantly after cataract extraction, but improvement was less predictable in eyes with severe or end-stage damage. The pattern and corrected pattern standard deviations may be reliable indicators of glaucoma-related damage in eyes with cataract but without constricted pupils.