When pre-operative acuity is better than 20/200, the following studies and abstracts conclude the following levels of correlation for predicting postoperative acuity prior to cataract surgery (predicts within 2 lines in 95% and within 1 line in 85% when preoperative acuity is better than 20/200) or YAG laser capsulotomy (predicts postoperative acuity to within 1 lines in 97% and within 2 lines in 100% of eyes when the preoperative acuity is better than 20/200.)
RAM data supports the usefulness of measuring retinal acuity to predict good and poor outcomes.
Hofeldt, A.J.: Illuminated near card assessment of potential visual acuity. J Cataract Refract Surg. 22:367-371, 1996.
Capsule Alone: Excellent
Predictions (100%)
Co-Morbid Disease: Excellent
Predictions (100%)
Weiss, M.J. and Hofeldt, A.J.: Illuminated near card assessment of potential acuity in macular disease. Vitreous Society Meeting, 1996.
Co-Morbid Disease: Excellent
Predictions (98%)
Asbell, P.A., Krashin-Bishler, I, Perez, V., Schechter, C. and So, P.: Scientific Poster #253, American Academy of Ophthalmology, 1996.
Glaucoma: Excellent agreement with
distance acuity (92%)
Hofeldt, A.J. and Weiss M.J.: The illuminated near card assessment of acuity in eyes with cataract. Ophthalmology 105, 1531-6, 1998.
Cataract Alone: Excellent
Predictions (97%)
Co-Morbid Disease: Excellent
Predictions (100%)
Chang, MA, Airiani, S, Miele, D, Braunstein, RE : A Comparison of the Potential Acuity Meter (PAM) and the Illuminated Near Card (INC) in Patients undergoing Phacoemulsification. EYE 2006) 20, 1345–1351.
Cataract Alone: Excellent
Predictions (94%)
Co-Morbid Disease: Excellent
Predictions (93%)
Park, JI, Oh, SH, Kim, JH, Moon, SW, Lee, DH: The Potential Role of the Retinal Acuity Meter For Predicting Visual Outcome after Cataract Surgery. J Korean Ophthalmol Soc. 2007 Jul;48(7):898-904
Cataract
Alone: Excellent
Predictions (91.6%)*
Co-Morbid Disease: Excellent
Predictions (90.9%) 
Suhr,A. W. Cataract surgery outcomes
better predicted by meter than by potential acuity pinhole technique
Accurate preoperative assessment of retinal acuity can provide direction for
patient, surgeon. Ophthalmology Times, 2009.
Cataract
Alone: Excellent Predictions, Same line 50%, within 1 line in 88%
Asbell, P.A., Krashin-Bishler, I, Perez, V., Schechter, C. and So, P.: Scientific Poster #253, American Academy of Ophthalmology, 1996.
Glaucoma: Excellent agreement with
distance acuity (92%)
Chang, MA, Airiani, S, Miele, D, Braunstein, RE : A Comparison of the Potential Acuity Meter (PAM) and the Illuminated Near Card (INC) in Patients undergoing Phacoemulsification. EYE advance online publication, 23 September 2005
Cataract Alone: Excellent
Predictions (94%)
Co-Morbid Disease: Excellent
Predictions (93%)
Albert, S.M., Bear-Lehman, J., Burkhardt, A.: Disparities Between Ambient, Standard Lighting and Retinal Acuities in Community-Dwelling Older People: Implications for Disability J American Geriatrics Society 54:1713-1718, 2006.
Testing retinal acuity with the RAM®
in the home, it was found that visual acuity could be potentially improved
in 61% of this study group by about 2.5 lines of letters if ocular conditions
were diagnosed and treated.
