Abstract

Background: Age related cataract remains the major cause of blindness throughout the world but the huge backlog exists mostly in the developing world. Manual small incision cataract surgery is the most common surgeries performed worldwide especially in developing countries like India. The aim of Cataract surgery is to provide best possible and early visual outcome. The advantages of MSICS as a low cost “equally effective” technique, makes it an alternative, especially in an unequally developed country like India

Material and Methods: The study was conducted in the Department of Ophthalmology, M.G.M Medical College and L.S.K Hospital, Kishanganj, Bihar. Patients were screened from Ophthalmology Outpatient Department, selected and then admitted in the eye ward of M.G.M Medical College and L.S.K Hospital for undergoing surgery during the period, 1^st July 2014 to 30^th June 2016. Their visual acuity (Snellen’s chart) and keratometry (in Diopters) recorded pre-operatively and postoperatively on 1^st day, 2^nd week, 6^th week and 3^rd month visit. Visual acuity less than 1/60 was tested in terms of finger counting, hand movement and perception of light and projection of rays. The study was conducted on a total of 204 patients divided into two groups by the type of incision(frown, linear) and length of incision(6.5mm, 7mm, 7.5mm)

Result: Majority of the eyes achieved a postoperative uncorrected visual acuity of 6/24 or better by the end of 2^nd week. It was 86.15% (176 out of 204 eyes) at 2^nd week, 84.61% (173 out of 204) at 6^th week and 90.76% (185 out of 204). Eyes with an uncorrected visual acuity of 6/9 or better was 24.61% (50 out of 204) at 2^nd week, 29.23% (60 out of 204) at 6^th week and 46.15% (60 out of 204). 57.57% of patients in the Frown Group achieved best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) of 6/9 or better as compared to 50% from the Linear Group whereas 37.5% of patients in the Linear Group achieved BCVA 6/12 to 6/24 as compared 33.33% from the Frown Group.

The Linear Incision Group consisted 100 eyes of 100 patients of which 54 were males and 46 were females. The age group ranges from 35 to 70 years with a mean age of 52.31 years whereas Frown Incision Group consisted of 104 eyes of 104 patients of which 52 were males and 52 were females. The age group ranged from 32 to 69 years with a mean age of 53.75 years. The age difference between the Linear and Frown group was found to be statistically insignificant (p>0.05)

Conclusion: The conclusions reached in this study are that best corrected visual acuity at the end of 6 weeks was found to be about 6/9 compared to initial first postoperative day 1 where it was found to be 6/36 or 6/60.Best corrected visual acuity remained almost constant after 6 weeks postoperatively and at the end of our study at 3 months.

Keywords: visual acuity, surgically induced astigmatism.