To investigate the changes of visual field index (VFI) compared with mean deviation (MD) and pattern standard deviation (PSD) before and after cataract surgery.

The present study included 77 eyes of 77 patients who were diagnosed with both glaucoma and cataracts and underwent cataract surgery. Preoperative and postoperative VFI, MD, and PSD were examined. Lens opacity type was classified as cortical, nucleosclerosis, or posterior subcapsular opacity (PSCO), and the MD, PSD, and VFI were compared before and after cataract surgery.

Preoperative and postoperative MD were -13.64±8.97, -11.94±9.67(p=0.113), PSD were 6.18±3.30, 5.91±3.31( p =0.344), and VFI were 67.00±33.43, 70.55±33.19( p =0.440), respectively. MD showed statistically significant difference in cortical and PSCO type before and after cataract surgery. PSD ( p =0.025) and VFI ( p =0.020) showed a statistically significant difference in cortical type.

VFI is an effective parameter to monitor the progression of glaucoma in cataract patients with nucleosclerosis and PSCO, but has limitations in cataract patients with cortical opacity.