Study finds better outcomes from cataract surgery performed within 6 weeks

Patients who wait 6 months or longer before receiving cataract surgery may be at risk for poor visual outcomes compared with patients treated within 6 weeks of diagnosis, according to a study by Canadian researchers.

William G. Hodge, MD, and colleagues performed a systematic literature review to evaluate the relationship between waiting times and cataract surgery outcomes. The analysis included 27 published studies that met inclusion criteria, which were identified through a search of 11 databases and from the proceedings of four conferences.

The researchers found better outcomes associated with waits of 6 weeks or less compared with waits of 6 months or more. In addition, patients who waited more than 6 months experienced more vision loss, had a lower quality of life and fell more frequently compared with patients who waited 6 weeks or less, according to the study, published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.