Research Paper Volume 9, Issue 3 pp 1030—1040
The impact of pseudophakia on vision-related quality of life in the general population – The Gutenberg Health Study
- 1 Department of Ophthalmology, Mainz University Medical Center, Mainz, Germany
- 2 Preventive Cardiology and Preventive Medicine, Center for Cardiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
- 3 Department of Ophthalmology, Inselspital, University Hospital of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- 4 Center for Thrombosis and Hemostasis, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
- 5 DZHK (German Center for Cardiovascular Research), partner site Rhine-Main, Mainz, Germany
- 6 Department of Biomedical Statistics, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
- 7 Center for Cardiology, University Medical Center Mainz, Mainz, Germany
- 8 Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Mainz, Mainz, Germany
- 9 Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, University Medical Center Mainz, Mainz, Germany
Received: November 20, 2016 Accepted: March 17, 2017 Published: March 28, 2017
https://doi.org/10.18632/aging.101208How to Cite
Abstract
Cataract surgery is the most frequently performed surgical procedure worldwide. We aim to determine the prevalence of having implanted an artificial lens (pseudophakia) and of no lens (aphakia) and to compare visual function.
As part of the Gutenberg Health study, a population-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Germany. An ophthalmological examination including slit-lamp examination was conducted. Prevalence including 95% confidential intervals were calculated and analyses were conducted for systemic and ocular associated factors with pseudophakia using multivariable logistic regression models. Vision-related quality of life was assessed using a standardized questionnaire and Rasch transformation.
14,696 people were included. Of these, 1.55% [1.36%–1.77%] had unilateral pseudophakia and 3.08% [2.81%-3.37%] had bilateral pseudophakia. Unilateral aphakia was present in 21 people and bilateral aphakia in 2 people. Pseudophakia was independently associated with age, higher body weight and lower body height, diabetes and smoking. Vision-related quality of life values were similar for those with bilateral phakia and pseudophakia but were lower for those with unilateral pseudophakia.
The pseudophakia status is related to several cardiovascular risk factors, indicating a relationship to an aging effect that causes premature lens opacification. Bilateral pseudophakia can almost imitate the physiological condition of phakia except for the need to use glasses.