Abstract

Cataract patients, especially those with dense cataracts, present a challenge in terms of evaluating their potential visual function because the fundus cannot be clearly visualized and thus many standard clinical techniques fail to provide sufficient, accurate information. Yet, cataracts are the most prevalent cause of visual loss. Moreover, while the incidence of cataracts increases as a function of age, so does the incidence of certain macular and optic nerve/pathway diseases (e.g., age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) and ischemic optic neuropathy). Innovative supplementary tests can prove useful both in predicting post-surgical visual acuity and in differentiating cataract patients who have concurrent macular or optic nerve/pathway dysfunctions from those who do not.

© 1990 Optical Society of America