Flash visual-evoked potentials and flash electroretinography in the preoperative visual prognosis of eyes with cataracts.

This study evaluated the reliability of flash visual-evoked potentials and flash electroretinography in the prognosis of postoperative visual acuity after cataract extraction. We tested 94 patients with cataract in whom the preoperative visual acuity ranged from light perception to 3/10. On the basis of the electrophysiologic tests, we formulated three types of preoperative visual prognosis: high, intermediate, and poor. To assess the postoperative visual acuity, all subjects were followed for at least three months after cataract extraction. Visual acuity was subdivided in three arbitrary classes: less than or equal to 1/10, between 2/10 and 5/10, and between 6/10 and 10/10. Finally, we evaluated the reliability of our preoperative prognosis. Statistical analysis of our results (using the chi-square test) showed our predictions were highly significant for the total sample, revealing a strict correlation between our prognosis and the final visual acuity.