Katarak Surgery and Care

Fear of Falling and Vision-Related Quality of Life of Patients Before and After Cataract Surgery, Evaluation of Postoperative Care Compliance: A Prospective Longitudinal Study

Although cataract surgery is an effective treatment method for improving visual function, it is important to evaluate the quality of life, daily living activities, independence level and psychosocial well-being of patients in the postoperative period. Changes in visual function can affect individuals' ability to live their daily lives, their perception of the risk of falling, and their adaptation to post-treatment care processes. For this reason, the recovery process after cataract surgery should be evaluated not only with clinical results, but also with patient-centered outcome criteria. The aim of this research is to investigate the preoperative and postoperative period in patients undergoing cataract surgery 1. and 3. The aim is to prospectively evaluate changes in care compliance, fear of falling, and vision-related quality of life during monthly follow-ups.

Cataract surgery is one of the most commonly performed and most successful surgical procedures worldwide, and it is performed on more than 20 million individuals every year (Lundström et al., 2021). Age-related cataract is a condition that develops as a result of the loss of transparency of the lens of the eye, especially in the older age group, and is considered one of the leading causes of vision loss on a global scale (World Health Organization [WHO], 2025). Although cataract surgery is performed in order to restore visual function and increase an individual's visual capacity, it is stated that surgical success should not be evaluated solely by clinical indicators such as visual acuity; its effects on an individual's daily life activities, level of independence, and visual-related quality of life should also be taken into account. Current studies have shown that cataract surgery provides significant improvement in vision-related quality of life and positively affects the functional status of individuals

Inclusion Criteria Adults aged 18 years or older. Patients scheduled for cataract surgery. Able to communicate in Turkish and complete the questionnaires. Willing to participate voluntarily and provide informed consent. Willing to attend postoperative follow-up assessments at 1 and 3 months. Exclusion Criteria Presence of other ocular diseases that significantly affect visual function (e.g., advanced glaucoma, macular degeneration, or severe retinal disease).

Cognitive or communication problems that prevent completion of the questionnaires.

Development of a serious postoperative complication. Failure to complete the scheduled follow-up assessments.