William L Trotter1, Kevin M Miller. 1. Department of Ophthalmology, Jules Stein Eye Institute, UCLA School of Medicine, 100 Stein Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90095-7002, USA.
Abstract
PURPOSE: To compare the ocular comorbidities, visual outcomes, and surgical complications between a series of functionally monocular patients who had phacoemulsification and intraocular lens (IOL) implantation and a control group of age- and sex-matched binocular patients. SETTING: Jules Stein Eye Institute and the Department of Ophthalmology, UCLA School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California, USA. METHODS: The records of a consecutive series of 100 functionally monocular patients who had phacoemulsification and IOL implantation were reviewed. The records of a control group of binocularly sighted patients who were matched to the monocular patients by age, sex, and date of surgery were also reviewed. RESULTS: Thirteen patients in the monocular group were monocular because of surgical complications. The remaining patients (87%) were monocular from medical conditions. Monocular patients had significantly more ocular comorbidity than binocular control patients (P <.0001). Age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and open-angle glaucoma were the most common reasons for monocular status and the most common ocular comorbidities in study eyes. The median preoperative best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was 20/50 in the monocular group and 20/40 in the binocular group. The median postoperative BCVA was 20/25 and 20/20, respectively. A final BCVA of 20/40 or worse was the result of preexisting macular pathology or glaucoma in every instance. Surgical complications (P =.096) and the number of postoperative procedures (P =.724) were similar between the 2 groups. CONCLUSIONS: Ocular comorbidity was significantly more prevalent in the eyes of monocular patients. Monocular and binocular patients experienced a 3-line improvement in BCVA after cataract surgery; however, the final median acuity was 20/25 in the monocular group and 20/20 in the binocular group. The 2 groups had a similar complication rate.
PURPOSE: To compare the ocular comorbidities, visual outcomes, and surgical complications between a series of functionally monocular patients who had phacoemulsification and intraocular lens (IOL) implantation and a control group of age- and sex-matched binocular patients. SETTING: Jules Stein Eye Institute and the Department of Ophthalmology, UCLA School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California, USA. METHODS: The records of a consecutive series of 100 functionally monocular patients who had phacoemulsification and IOL implantation were reviewed. The records of a control group of binocularly sighted patients who were matched to the monocular patients by age, sex, and date of surgery were also reviewed. RESULTS: Thirteen patients in the monocular group were monocular because of surgical complications. The remaining patients (87%) were monocular from medical conditions. Monocular patients had significantly more ocular comorbidity than binocular control patients (P <.0001). Age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and open-angle glaucoma were the most common reasons for monocular status and the most common ocular comorbidities in study eyes. The median preoperative best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was 20/50 in the monocular group and 20/40 in the binocular group. The median postoperative BCVA was 20/25 and 20/20, respectively. A final BCVA of 20/40 or worse was the result of preexisting macular pathology or glaucoma in every instance. Surgical complications (P =.096) and the number of postoperative procedures (P =.724) were similar between the 2 groups. CONCLUSIONS: Ocular comorbidity was significantly more prevalent in the eyes of monocular patients. Monocular and binocular patients experienced a 3-line improvement in BCVA after cataract surgery; however, the final median acuity was 20/25 in the monocular group and 20/20 in the binocular group. The 2 groups had a similar complication rate.