Vision and balance changes after bilateral implantation of Toric IOLs
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Vision and balance changes after bilateral implantation of Toric versus non-Toric intraocular lenses in Cataract patients with astigmatism
IRAS ID
286913
Contact name
Christopher Rollinson
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University Hospital Plymouth NHS Trust
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
UOP Grant number, RR2 04499/101
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 0 months, 30 days
Research summary
Cataracts occur when the crystalline lens becomes cloudy, preventing light from reaching the retina and results in poor vision. Cataracts are the leading cause of low vision and blindness worldwide. The highly successful cataract surgery involves removing the lens and replacing it with a clear artificial plastic lens called intraocular lens (IOLs). With the advance of IOLs, distance vision problem such as short sightedness can be corrected at the same time. Around one fifth of cataract surgery patients also have astigmatism, an imperfect curvature of the cornea, the front covering of the eye. Degree of astigmatism is measured in diopter (D). It has been found that as little as 1.00D astigmatism could reduce unaided vision for most tasks and people with 1.5D or more typically need to wear eyeglasses or contact lenses for clear vision.
Standard IOLs offered in NHS do not correct astigmatism but a modern type of IOLs called Toric IOLs promise a stable correction of astigmatism for cataract patients that is known to improve vision without spectacles. Uncorrected astigmatism affects clear vision and visual input for body balancing. For elderly population, maximizing vision correction not only reduces spectacle dependency, but it may also improve balance and hence reduce fall risks. To date, no study has explored the effect of correcting astigmatism, at the time of cataract surgery, on vision characteristics and dynamic balance during functional activities.
The purpose of this study is to explore the impact of correcting astigmatism during cataract surgery on an individual’s vision function, dynamic stability, and confidence during functional activities with high fall risks.
REC name
South West - Cornwall & Plymouth Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
22/SW/0085
Date of REC Opinion
30 Sep 2022
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion