PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Vilaseca, Meritxell
AU  - Romero, Maria José
AU  - Arjona, Montserrat
AU  - Luque, Sergio Oscar
AU  - Ondategui, Juan Carlos
AU  - Salvador, Antoni
AU  - Güell, José L
AU  - Artal, Pablo
AU  - Pujol, Jaume
TI  - Grading nuclear, cortical and posterior subcapsular cataracts using an objective scatter index measured with a double-pass system
AID  - 10.1136/bjophthalmol-2011-301055
DP  - 2012 Sep 01
TA  - British Journal of Ophthalmology
PG  - 1204--1210
VI  - 96
IP  - 9
4099  - http://bjo.bmj.com/content/96/9/1204.short
4100  - http://bjo.bmj.com/content/96/9/1204.full
SO  - Br J Ophthalmol2012 Sep 01; 96
AB  - Purpose To evaluate objectively intraocular scattering in eyes with nuclear, cortical and posterior subcapsular cataracts by means of an objective scatter index (OSI) obtained from double-pass images. To compare the results with those obtained using clinical conventional procedures. Methods In this prospective, observational, cross-sectional, non-consecutive case series study, 188 eyes with cataracts of 136 patients were analysed (123 eyes had nuclear, 41 eyes had cortical and 24 eyes had posterior subcapsular cataracts). The control group consisted of 117 eyes of 68 healthy patients. Patient examination included subjective refraction, best spectacle-corrected visual acuity (BSCVA), cataract grade using the lens opacities classification system III (LOCS III) and OSI. Results We found a decrease in the BSCVA and an increase in the OSI with increasing cataract grade. Statistically significant differences were observed when the OSI of eyes without cataracts and those with different LOCS III were compared. The comparison between the OSI and LOCS III reported good percentages of agreement regarding the number of eyes classified in equivalent levels: 72.4% (nuclear cataracts), 86.6% (cortical cataracts) and 84.3% (posterior subcapsular cataracts). A non-linear regression model was applied between OSI and BSCVA, which resulted in the following multiple correlation coefficients: r=0.878 (nuclear), r=0.843 (cortical) and r=0.844 (posterior subcapsular). Conclusions The results of the study showed that OSI is a useful parameter for evaluating large amounts of intraocular scattering that can be used, in combination with other conventional procedures, as a valuable tool in clinical practice to grade cataracts objectively.