Evaluation of the Method for Analyzing the Quality of Patients’ Vision for Decision-making on Initial Cataract Surgery with High Visual Acuity

The purpose: to evaluate the results of applying the method to determine indications for surgery of initial cataracts with high visual acuity based on a correlation analysis of the relationship between higher order aberrations and subjective quality of vision. Patients and methods. 243 patients (243 eyes) were examined at the JSC “Ekaterinburg Center of the Scientific and Technical Complex “Microsurgery of the Eye”. Patients were divided into groups by the type of cataract: patients with cortical cataract — 79 eyes, with nuclear cataract — 89 eyes, with posterior subcapsular cataract — 75 eyes. The age in the group ranged from 42 to 85 years, 103 men (42 %), 140 women (48 %). Determination of wavefront aberrations was performed on an aberrometer operating on the principle of ray tracing. Internal aberrations were assessed with drug-induced mydriasis, pupil diameter of 5 mm. The degree of visual impairment in patients with initial cataract and high visual acuity was determined based on objective and subjective assessment. Results. The correlation between the values of higher order internal aberrations (coma, trefoil, spherical aberration) and the data of the developed questionnaire was determined. Conclusions. Different types of initial lens opacities can create a unique set of aberrations and change the quality of vision. These changes can be assessed using modern imaging techniques and questionnaires, which helps in diagnosis and decision-making on surgical treatmentю