[Reliability of predictable postoperative visual acuity of cataracts as measured by Heine Lambda 100 retinometer preoperatively].

Purpose: To assess the relationship between potential visual acuity obtained before cataract surgery using Heine Lambda 100 retinometer with best corrected visual acuity 3 months postoperatively, as well as its correlation with the morphological pattern of the dominant cataract and the intensity of nuclear opacification.

Methods: Prospective study executed in the Ophthalmology Hospital Laser Vision in Santos of 121 eyes of 70 patients who underwent cataract surgery (phacoemulsification with intraocular lens implantation), from April to July, 2009. In the preoperative period, Heine retinometer test was performed under mydriasis and its results were compared to postoperative best corrected visual acuity three months after surgery and correlated with the morphological classification of cataracts, being considered a satisfactory result those who did not vary more than two lines in Snellen chart.

Results: The satisfactory cases found in our study were 86.78%, with results of visual acuity with Heine retinometer equal to the postoperative visual acuity in 34.7% of the cases. Predominant nuclear opacity N1+ has a higher reliability than N2+ and N3+ (50%, 31.3% and 26.7%, respectively). Regarding all studied eyes, statistical significance was noted (p<0.0001).

Conclusion: In most cases Heine retinometer underestimated or maintained best corrected visual acuity 3 months postoperatively in patients who underwent cataract surgery. With respect to the morphological classification of cataracts, the higher the opacity of the nuclear lens, the greater the visual acuity underestimation.