Although cataract is recognized as the leading cause of blindness, together uncorrected refractive error after cataract surgery and complications of surgery often form the second-leading cause of blindness. Poor vision after surgery is not uncommonly reported in a quarter up to half of patients. There is good reason for Vision 2020 and WHO to give a high priority to improving the quality of the outcome of surgery.

Outreach cataract programs may hospitalize people for a night or two, but within a few days patients are discharged and usually lost to follow-up. Vision commonly takes a month or two to stabilize after cataract surgery. Attempts to monitor the visual outcome of surgery are thwarted by poor follow-up, and currently there are no other satisfactory methods to monitor the outcome of surgery.

Mobile phone coverage has dramatically extended in many developing areas and costs have reduced. Mobile phones can be used to assist with treatment compliance and reporting side effects. A mobile phone could be used to assess postoperative vision, at least for near and intermediate distance. Test text or an image could be sent to the phone. Test distance could be controlled by a measured cord attached to the phone and set according to the text or image size. The patient, possibly with assistance from a relative, could respond to the test with a text message.