Correlation between visual acuity at discharge and on final follow-up in patients undergoing manual small incision cataract surgery

Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine the correlation between visual acuity on discharge and at final follow-up in patients undergoing manual small incision cataract surgery (MSICS) through outreach services of a tertiary care training center. Methods: A prospective observational study was done to determine the correlation between visual acuity on postoperative day 1 and final follow-up (4–8 weeks) among various categories of surgeons and surgical complications in patients who underwent MSICS between January 2018 and March 2018. Proportions of patients benefitting from refractive correction were also analyzed. Results: Of the 924 patients who underwent MSICS through outreach services during the study period 841 were eligible for the study. Follow-up rate at 4–8 weeks was 91%. Mean age was 61.6 (SD 9.2) years, 63% were females and 55% were operated by trainees. There was a positive correlation between visual acuity at day one and final follow-up with a Spearman's correlation coefficient of 0.375 and 0.403 for uncorrected (UCVA) and best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) respectively (P < 0.001). The correlation coefficient, while still positive, was lower for trainees (0.287), as compared to consultants (0.492). At least two lines of improvement in visual acuity on refractive correction were found in 77% of patients. Conclusion: Visual acuity on the day of discharge may be a useful quality indicator of visual outcome for monitoring cataract surgical programs. However, a follow-up at 4–8 weeks is recommended for individual patient benefit and monitoring surgical quality especially in training hospitals.