Straylight before and after phacoemulsification in eyes with preoperative corrected distance visual acuity better than 0.1 logMAR

Purpose: To report the outcomes of changes in straylight before and after phacoemulsification in eyes with preoperative corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA) better than 0.1 logMAR.

Setting: Private refractive surgery clinic, Driebergen, the Netherlands.

Design: Cohort study.

Methods: Standard phacoemulsification with implantation of a monofocal or multifocal intraocular lens (IOL) was performed. Preoperative and 3-month postoperative straylight values, CDVA, and refractive error were compared.

Results: The study enrolled 160 eyes (89 patients). The mean CDVA was 0.02 ± 0.05 logMAR (range -0.1 to 0.1 logMAR) preoperatively and 0.00 ± 0.04 logMAR (range -0.1 to 0.2 logMAR) postoperatively. The mean preoperative straylight was 1.21 ± 0.20 log(s) (range 0.80 to 1.74 log[s]) and 1.11 ± 1.16 log(s) (range 0.76 to 1.63 log[s]), respectively; the improvement was statistically significant. There was a correlation between high preoperative straylight values and postoperative improvement in straylight values.

Conclusions: In eyes with relatively good CDVA of 0.1 logMAR or better (decimal 0.8 or better; Snellen 20/25 or better), straylight improved by 0.10 log(s) after cataract surgery. A subgroup of 44 eyes had an improvement of more than 0.20 log(s), which is comparable to a 2-line improvement on the vision chart.