Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Quality of Life Before and After Cataract Surgery: Research in a Sample of Polish Patients

  • Published:
Applied Research in Quality of Life Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The goal of this paper is to present possible change in quality of life (QoL) in older sample of people with vision disturbances. The patients were investigated twice: before (N = 193) and 4 month after the cataract surgery (N = 69), by means of the scale for vision functioning, and the Life Quality Questionnaire (Schalock & Keith, 1993) extend with the items measuring health related quality of life (HRQoL). Two problems were formulated: To what extent are visual defects associated with the decreased subjective QoL? What changes are observed in perceived QoL during the period of treatment of visual defects? The patients reported significant increase of HRQoL, however they did not report similar increase of a general QoL. Few reasons are considered: overlapping of the content of visual function scales and HRQoL and different indices of a general QoL and HRQoL, lack of a proper postoperative care, low socio-economic status of the participants, and too high expectation concerning better functioning after the surgery.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Graph 1
Graph 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Armbrecht, A. M., Findlay, C., Kaushal, S., Aspinall, P., Hill, A. R., & Dhillon, B. (2000). Is cataract surgery justified in patients with age related macular degeneration? A visual function and quality of life assessment. British Journal of Ophthalmology, 84, 1343–1348.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boehmer, S., Luszczynska, A., & Schwarzer, R. (2007). Coping and quality of life after tumor surgery: personal and social resources promote different domains of quality of life. Anxiety, Stress, and Coping, 20, 61–75.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bowling, A., & Gabriel, Z. (2004). An integration model of quality of life in older age. Results from the ESRC/MRC HSRC Quality of Life Survey in Britain. Social Indicators Research, 69, 1–36.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brenner, M. H., Curbow, B., Javitt, J. C., Legro, M. W., & Sommer, A. (1993). Vision change and quality of life in the elderly. Response to cataract surgery and treatment of other chronic ocular conditions. Archives of Ophthalmology, 111, 680–685.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carabellese, C., Appollonio, I., Rozzini, R., Bianchetti, A., Frisoni, G. B., Frattola, L., et al. (1993). Sensory impairment and quality of life in a community elderly population. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 41, 401–407.

    Google Scholar 

  • Charters, L. (2005). Quality of life greatly improves after cataract surgery. Ophthalmology Times, 30, 50.

    Google Scholar 

  • Crabtree, H. L., Hildreth, A. J., O’Connell, J. E., Phelan, P. S., Allen, D., & Gray, C. S. (1999). Measuring visual symptoms in British cataract patients: the cataract symptom scale. British Journal of Ophthalmology, 83, 519–523.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Crudden, A., & McBroom, L. W. (1999). Barriers to employment: a surgery of employed persons who are visually impaired. Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness, 93, 341–350.

    Google Scholar 

  • Damiano, A. M., Steinberg, E. P., Cassard, S. D., Bass, E. B., Diener-West, M., Legro, M. W., et al. (1995). Comparison of generic versus disease -specific measures of functional impairment in patients with cataract. Medical Care, 33, AS120–AS130. Suplement.

    Google Scholar 

  • De Boer, M. R., Moll, A. C., de Vet, H. C. W., Terwee, C. B., Völker-Dieben, H. J. M., & van Rens, G. H. M. B. (2004). Psychometric properties of vision-related quality of life questionnaires: a systematic review. Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics, 24, 257–273.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Delle Fave, A. (2006). The impact of subjective experience on the quality of life: A central issue for health professionals. In M. Csikszentmihalyi & I. Selega Csikszentmihalyi (Eds.), A life worth living. Contributions to positive psychology (pp. 165–181). Oxford: University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Desai, P., Reidy, A., Minassian, D. C., Vafidis, G., & Bolger, J. (1996). Gains from cataract surgery: visual function and quality of life. British Journal of Ophthalmology, 80, 868–873.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Desapriya, E., Subzwari, S., Scime-Beltrano, G., Samayawardhena, L. A., & Pike, I. (2010). Vision improvement and reduction in falls after expedited cataract surgery Systematic review and metaanalysis. Journal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, 36, 13–19.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Donovan, J. L., Brookes, S. T., Laidlaw, D. A. H., Sparrow, J. M., & Peters, T. J. (2003). The development an validation of a questionnaire to assess visual symptoms/dysfunction and impact on quality of life in cataract patients: the Visual Symptoms and Quality of life (VSQ) Questionnaire. Ophthalmic Epidemiology, 10(1), 49–65.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Edelson, E., & Owsley, C. (1999). Cataract surgery improves patient’s driving records. Ophtalmology Times, 24, 4.

    Google Scholar 

  • Evans, B. J. W., & Gilian, R. (2004). Correctable visual impairment in older people: a major unmet need. Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics, 24, 161–180.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fagerström, R. (1992). Defense mechanism of elderly persons before and after cataract operation. Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness, 86, 361–363.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fagerström, R. (1994a). Correlation between depression and vision in aged patients before and after cataract operations. Psychological Reports, 75, 115–125.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fagerström, R. (1994b). Self-image of elderly persons before and after cataract surgery. Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness, 88, 458–461.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fletcher, A. E., Ellwein, L. B., Selvaraj, S., Vijaykumar, V., Rahmathullah, R., & Thulasiraj, R. D. (1997). Measurements of vision function and quality of life in patients with cataract in Southern India. Report of instrument development. Archives of Ophthalmology, 115, 767–774.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fletcher, A. E., Vijaykumar, V., Selvaraj, S., Thulasiraj, R. D., & Ellwein, L. B. (1998). The Madurai Intracular Lens Study III: visual functioning and quality of life outcomes. American Journal of Ophthalmology, 125, 26–35.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gabriel, Z., & Bowling, A. (2004). Quality of life from the perspectives of older people. Aging & Society, 24, 675–691.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • He, M., Xu, J., Li, S., Wu, K., Munoz, S. R., & Ellwien, L. B. (1999). Visual acuity and quality of life in patients with cataract in Doumen County, China. Ophthalmology, 106, 1609–1615.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hewitt, A., Verma, N., & Gruen, R. (2001). Visual outcomes for remote Australian Aboriginal people after cataract surgery. Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology, 29, 68–74.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Javitt, J. B., & Steinert, R. F. (2000). Cataract extraction with multifocal intraocular lens implantation. A multinational clinical trial evaluating clinical, functional, and quality-of-life outcomes. Ophthalmology, 107, 2040–2048.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Javitt, J. C., Steinberg, E. P., Sharkey, P., Schein, O. D., Tielsch, J. M., West, M. D., et al. (1995). Cataract surgery in one eye or both. A billion dollar per year issue. Ophthalmology, 102, 1583–1593.

    Google Scholar 

  • Javitt, J. C., Wang, F., Trantacost, D. J., Rowe, M., & Tarantino, N. (1997). Outcomes of cataract extraction with multifocal intraocular lens implantation. Ophthalmology, 104, 589–599.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kanski, J. (1997). Okulistyka Kliniczna [Clinical Ophtalmology]. Wroclaw: Urban and Partner.

    Google Scholar 

  • Klein, R., Klein, B. E. K., Jensen, S. C., Moss, S. E., & Cruickshanks, K. J. (1994). The relation of socioeconomic factors to age-related cataract, maculopathy, and impaired vision. The beaver dam eye study. Ophthalmology, 101, 1969–1979.

    Google Scholar 

  • Knudtson, M. D., Klein, B. E. K., Klein, R., Cruickshanks, K. J., & Cruickshanks, K. (2005). Age-related eye disease, quality of life, and functional activity. Archives of Ophthalmology, 123, 807–814.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lee, B. L., & Wilson, M. R. (2000). Health-related quality of life in patients with cataract and glaucoma. Journal of Glaucoma, 9, 87–94.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lee, J. E., Fos, P. J., Zuniga, M. A., Kastl, P. R., & Sung, J. H. (2001). Assessing health-related quality of life in cataract patients: the relationship between utility and health-related quality of life measurement. Quality of Life Research, 9, 1127–1135.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Legro, M. W. (1991). Quality of life and cataracts: a review of patient-centered studies of cataract surgery outcomes. Ophthalmic Surgery, 22, 431–443.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lundström, M., Fregell, G., & Sjoblöm, A. (1994). Vision related daily life problems in patients waiting for a cataract extraction. British Journal of Ophthalmology, 78, 608–611.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lundström, M., Brege, K. G., Florén, I., Lundh, B., Stenevi, U., & Thorburn, W. (2002). Cataract surgery and quality of life in patients with age related macular degeneration. British Journal of Ophthalmology, 86, 1330–1335.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Malik, A. R., Qazi, Z. A., & Gilbert, C. (2003). Visual outcome after high volume cataract surgery in Pakistan. British Journal of Ophthalmology, 87, 937–940.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mangione, C. M., Phillips, R. S., Lawrence, M. G., Seddon, J. M., Orav, E. J., & Goldman, L. (1994). Improved visual function and attenuation of declines in health-related quality of life after cataract extraction. Archives of Ophthalmology, 112, 1419–1425.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McKee, M., Whatling, J. M., & Vallance-Owen, A. (2005). Comparing outcomes of cataract surgery: challenges and opportunities. Journal of Public Health, 27, 348–352.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Odberg, T., Jakobsen, J. E., Hultgren, S. J., & Halseide, R. (2001). The impact of glaucoma on the quality of life of patients in Norway. I. Results from a self-administered questionnaire. Acta Ophthalmologica Scandinavica, 79, 116–120.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Oleś, P., & Oleś, M. (2002). Poczucie jakosci zycia u pacjentow chorych na zaćmę [Quality of life in cataract patients]. In P. Oleś, S. Steuden, & J. Toczołowski (Eds.), Jak świata mniej widzę: Zaburzenia widzenia a jakość zycia [When I see less: Vision disturbances and the quality of life] (pp. 101–119). Lublin: Towarzystwo Naukowe KUL.

  • Owsley, C., McGwin, G., Jr., Scilley, K., Meek, G. C., Seker, D., & Dyer, A. (2007). Impact of cataract surgery on health-related quality of life in nursing home residents. British Journal of Ophthalmology, 91, 1359–1363.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pager, C. K. (2004). Expectations and outcomes in cataract surgery. A prospective test of 2 models of satisfaction. Archives of Ophthalmology, 122, 1788–1792.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pager, Ch K, McCluskey, P. J., & Retsas, C. (2004). Cataract surgery in Australia: a profile of patient-centered outcomes. Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology, 32, 388–392.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Parrish, R. K., II, Gedde, S. J., Scott, I. U., Feuer, W. J., Schiffman, J. C., Mangione, C. M., et al. (1997). Visual function and quality of life among patients with glaucoma. Archives of Ophthalmology, 115, 1447–1455.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pokharel, G. P., Selvaraj, S., & Ellwein, L. B. (1998). Visual functioning and quality of life outcomes among cataract operated and unoperated blind population in Nepal. British Journal of Ophthalmology, 82, 606–610.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Polack, S., Eusebio, C., Mathenge, W., Wadud, Z., Mamunur, A. K. M., Fletcher, A., et al. (2010). The impact of cataract surgery on health related quality of life in Kenya, the Philippines, and Bangladesh. Ophthalmic Epidemiology, 17, 387–399.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Raphael, D. (1996). Quality of life of older adults. In R. Renvick, I. Brown, & M. Nagler (Eds.), Quality of life in health promotion and rehabilitation: Conceptual approaches, issues, and applications (pp. 290–306). Thousand Oaks: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schalock, R. L. (2000). Three decades of quality of life. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 15, 116–127.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schalock, R. L., & Keith, K. D. (1993). Quality of life questionnaire. Worthington: IDS.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schuttleworth, G. N., Luhishi, E. A., & Harrard, R. A. (1998). Do patients with age related maculopathy and cataract benefit from cataract surgery? British Journal of Ophtalmology, 82, 611–616.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schwarzer, R., & Schröder, K. E. E. (1997). Social and personal coping resources as predictors of quality of life in cardiac patients. European Review of Applied Psychology, 47, 131–136.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sheldon, K. M. (2004). Optimal human being. An integrated multi-level perspective. Mahwah: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sherwood, M. B., Garcia-Siekavizza, A., Meltzer, M. I., Hebert, A., Burns, A. F., & McGorray, S. (1998). Glaucoma’s impact on quality of life and its relation to clinical indicator. A pilot study. Ophthalmology, 105, 561–566.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Steinberg, E. P., Tielsch, J. M., Schein, O. D., Javitt, J. C., Sharkey, P., Cassard, S. D., et al. (1994). National study of cataract surgery outcomes. Variation in 4-month postoperative outcomes as reflected in multiple outcome measures. Ophthalmology, 101, 1131–1141.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sutherland, A., & Karlinsky, H. (1998). Abrupt recognition of age-related physical changes in appearance following cataract surgery. A Case report. Journal of the American Geriatric Society, 37, 447–449.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tielsch, J. M., Steinberg, E. P., Cassard, S. D., Schein, O. D., Javitt, J. C., Legro, M. W., et al. (1995). Preoperative functional expectations and postoperative outcomes among patients undergoing first eye cataract surgery. Archives of Ophthalmology, 113, 1312–1318.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Uusitalo, R. J., Brans, T., Cand, M., Pessi, T., & Tarkkanen, A. (1999). Evaluating cataract surgery gains by assessing patients’ quality of life using the VF-7. Journal of Refractive Surgery, 25, 989–994.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wändell, P. E., Lundström, M., Brorsson, B., & Åberg, H. (1997). Quality of life among patients with glaucoma in Sweden. Acta Ophthalmologica Scandinavica, 75, 584–588.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Williams, R. A., Brody, B. L., Thomas, R. G., Kaplan, R. M., & Brown, S. I. (1998). The psychosocial impact of macular degeneration. Archives of Ophthalmology, 116, 514–520.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilson, I. B., & Cleary, P. D. (1995). Linking clinical variables with health-related quality of life. A conceptual model of patient outcomes. The Journal of The American Medical Assotiations JAMA, 4, 59–65.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wilson, M. R., Coleman, A. L., Yu, F., Bing, E. G., Sasaki, I. F., Berlin, K., et al. (1998). Functional status and well-being in patients with glaucoma as measured by the medical outcomes study short form-36 questionnaire. Ophthalmology, 105, 2112–2116.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wolffsohn, J. S., & Cochrane, L. (2000). Design of the Low Vision Quality-of-Life Questionnaire (LVQOL) and measuring the outcome of low-vision rehabilitation. American Journal of Ophthalmology, 130, 793–802.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhao, J., Sui, R., Jia, L., Fletcher, A. E., & Ellwein, L. B. (1998). Visual acuity and quality of life outcomes in patients with cataract in Schunyi County, China. American Journal of Ophthalmology, 126, 515–523.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors are very grateful for prof. dr Jerzy Toczołowski and dr Paweł Klonowski from the Ophthalmology Clinic in Lublin and Elżbieta Chmielnicka-Kuter, Małgorzata Puchalska-Wasyl, and Małgorzata Sobol-Kwapińska from the Department of Personality for their cooperation in data gathering.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Psychology, John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, Al. Raclawickie 14, 20-950, Lublin, Poland

    Maria Oleś & Piotr Oleś

Authors
  1. Maria Oleś
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Piotr Oleś
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Maria Oleś.

Appendix

Appendix

Table 4 Selected items from the quality of life questionnaire by Schalock and Keith (1993)
Full size table

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Oleś, M., Oleś, P. Quality of Life Before and After Cataract Surgery: Research in a Sample of Polish Patients. Applied Research Quality Life 7, 93–108 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11482-011-9139-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11482-011-9139-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation