PURPOSE: To evaluate Heine retinometer and multiple pinhole accuracy in the prognosis of the visual acuity after lens extraction. METHODS: 65 eyes were examined with Heine retinometer and with multiple pinhole. After surgery the patients were submitted to refraction and the result were compared with the prediction by the instruments. Group 1 is formed of patients with visual acuity worse than 20/100 and group 2, better or equal to 20/100. RESULTS: The Heine retinometer obtained good results in 21% and 44% of patients in both groups (1 and 2) respectively. The multiple pinhole had good results in 26% and 52% of patients concerning both groups (1 and 2) respectively. CONCLUSION: The Heine retinometer has an accuracy similar to the multiple pinhole in the prognosis of visual acuity after lens extraction. The instruments should not be used to contraindicate lens extraction due to the large number of false negative results.
Cataract; Cataract extraction; Visual acuity; Visual tests; Visual perception; Phacoemulsification
