Clinical Research, Comparison of the Subjective Visual Function in Patients with Epiphora and Patients with Second-Eye Cataract

PURPOSE: To assess the subjective visual disability of patients with epiphora and to compare the results with that of patients waiting for second eye cataract surgery. DESIGN: A prospective, randomised, questionnaire-based study. METHODS: Forty-six patients with epiphora listed for dacryocystorhinostomy and 50 patients having second eye cataract extraction were enrolled. A questionnaire focusing on functional visual disability in daily life and based on VF-14 was completed for each participant. RESULTS: Eighty-six percent of patients with epiphora and 41% of second-eye cataracts had difficulty reading small print (P < 0.05). The extent of such difficulty was moderate to great in 48% of epiphora and only 26% of cataract patients .A substantial percentage of epiphora patients and second eye cataract also reported difficulty with other tasks, such as doing fine work (78.9% vs. 42%) (P < 0.05), watching television (63.1% vs. 19%) (P < 0.05), seeing steps or stairs (43.4% vs. 10%) (P < 0.05), or reading signs ...