Purpose: To analyze the benefits after cataract surgery in professional activities. Methods: A prospective, randomized study was conducted at the Clinical Hospital of the University of São Paulo. The patients had cataract surgery by phacoemulsification (PHACO) and by extracapsular extraction (EECP). Results: The sample consisted of 205 patients, 101 of these, submitted to phacoemulsification. The mean age in phacoemulsification group was 68.3 years ± 9 years and 69.1 years ± 8.5 years in extracapsular extraction group (p=0.70). The percentage of patients employed in phacoemulsification group was 16.83%, and in the extracapsular extraction group of 13.46%. Most patients who were not employed felt motivated to seek work. Most of the patients increased their productivity at work after surgery, 82.50% in the phacoemulsification group, and 78.60% in the other group (p=0.20). Conclusion: Cataract surgery of both techniques has improved the productivity at work and encouraged economically inactive individuals to seek employment.
Cataract extraction; Phacoemulsification; Cataract; Blindness; Physician´s practice patterns; Lenses, intraocular; Vision acuity; Perception
