Development of a Patient-Reported Outcome Measure to Assess Symptoms Associated with Cataract Surgery and Intraocular Lens Implants

Abstract

Purpose: To develop a standardized patient-reported outcome measure of visual perceptions and symptoms for implanted premium and monofocal intraocular lenses (IOLs).

Design: Observational study before and after IOL implants to assess the measure and symptom experience.

Participants: Adults scheduled for binocular implantation of the same IOL type completed the survey at baseline prior to surgery (n = 716) and postoperatively (n = 554). Most respondents were female (64%), White (81%), 61 or older (89%), and had some college or more education (62%).

Methods: Administration was by web survey with mail follow-up and phone reminders.

Main outcome measures: Frequency, severity, and level of symptom bother in the last 7 days for 14 symptoms: (1) glare, (2) hazy vision, (3) blurry vision, (4) starbursts, (5) halos, (6) snowballs, (7) floaters, (8) double images, (9) rings and spider webs, (10) distortion, (11) light flashes with eyes closed, (12) light flashes with eyes open, (13) shimmering images, and (14) dark shadows.

Results: The median correlation among having 14 symptoms at baseline was only 0.19. Mean uncorrected binocular visual acuity improved from a preoperative value of 0.47 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR; Snellen 20/59) to a postoperative value of 0.12 (20/26) and best-corrected binocular visual acuity improved from 0.23 logMAR (20/34) preoperative to 0.05 logMAR (20/22) postoperative. The most bothersome symptoms were reduced after surgery: preoperative/postoperative glare (84%/36%), blurry vision (68%/22%), starbursts (66%/28%), hazy vision (63%/18%), snowballs (55%/17%), and halos (52%/22%). All symptoms decreased significantly (P < 0.0001) from before to after surgery except for dark crescent-shaped shadows (4%/4%). The percentage of symptoms rated as quite a bit or extremely bothersome declined from before to after surgery except for dark crescent-shaped shadows (29%/32%): blurry vision (54%/15%), snowballs (52%/14%), glare (49%/15%), and halos (46%/14%). Having monofocal IOL implants was associated with significantly more reduction in halos, starbursts, glare, and rings and spider webs, but less improvement in self-reported general vision.

Conclusions: This study provides support for the 37-item Assessment of IntraOcular Lens Implant Symptoms (AIOLIS) instrument for use to assess symptoms and general perceptions of vision in clinical studies and clinical care.

Financial disclosure(s): Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found after the references.

Keywords: Cataract surgery; IOLs; Patient-reported outcomes; Symptoms.