Visual Outcomes and Astigmatism After Sutureless, Manual Cataract Extraction in Rural China

Results: Among 313 eligible subjects, 242 (77%) could be contacted, of whom 176 (73%) were examined. Of those who were examined, mean±SD age was 69.3±10.5 years, 66.5% were female, 35 had been operated on bilaterally at Sanrao, and 85.2% had a preoperative presenting visual acuity of 6/60 or worse. Presenting and best-corrected postoperative acuity in the eye that was operated on were 6/18 or better in 83.4% and 95.7%, respectively. Among 27 fellow eyes operated on elsewhere, 40.7% had a presenting acuity of 6/18 or better and 40.7% were blind (P .001). Mean±SD postoperative astigmatism did not differ between 211 eyes that were operated on (−1.13±0.84 diopters) and 109 eyes that were not (−1.13±1.17 diopters; P=.27). Presence of operative complications (8.5%) and older age were associated with worse vision; bilateral surgery was associated with better vision.