Outcome of capsulotomy in patients with low vision and posterior capsule opacification.

Purpose: To investigate the functional outcome, as defined using the Catquest questionnaire, for patients with posterior capsule opacification (PCO) and low corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA), after capsulotomy.

Methods: Thirty-one patients with PCO and visual acuity ≥ 0.6 (log MAR, ≤ 0.25 decimal notation) in the PCO eye were examined before and 1 month after capsulotomy. An ophthalmic examination, procuring of a digital image of the posterior lens capsule and completion of Catquest were carried out.

Results: Mean CDVA (p < 0.001), disabilities in daily life (p = 0.004), activity (p = 0.012), symptoms of glare (p = 0.003) and satisfaction with vision (p < 0.001) all improved after capsulotomy. Sixty-five per cent of patients had good or very good benefit and 23% questionable or no benefit. The group with moderate benefit was only 6%. Compared with patients with PCO and better visual acuity, the number of patients with good benefit was greater than the number with moderate benefit.

Conclusions: Most patients with PCO and low CDVA reported improved visual function in daily life as defined using Catquest, after capsulotomy. The group with moderate benefit was small, indicating that the improvement was either substantial or negligible.