Background Near visual acuity (NVA) typically declines with age and after cataract surgery, and it can be influenced by various factors, including diseases and medications. The impacts of systemic chemotherapy on visual functions, particularly accommodation and NVA, have not yet been thoroughly investigated.

Objective The present study is the first to investigate the effects of systemic chemotherapy on NVA and the required near addition power.

Methods A total of 130 eyes from 65 cancer patients [52.3% (n = 34) women, 47.7% (n = 31) men] were evaluated for NVA and required near addition power before and after systemic chemotherapy. Data analysis was performed using SPSS software.

Results The mean age of the participants was 52.63 (13.35) years (age range = 18-80 years). Before chemotherapy, the mean addition power was 1.58 (0.95) D, the mean uncorrected NVA (UCNVA) was 0.50 (0.36) the logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR), and the mean corrected NVA (CNVA) was 0.05 (0.24) logMAR. After chemotherapy, changes in addition power were statistically significant (P < 0.05), although changes in NVA were not statistically significant (P > 0.05). UCNVA remained stable in 43.1% of cases, CNVA in 86.9%, and addition power in 46.9%.

Conclusion Based on the findings of this study, systemic chemotherapy does not cause an uncorrectable reduction in NVA. However, it can affect the required near addition power. Further research is recommended to evaluate long-term visual changes in patients undergoing chemotherapy.

The authors have declared no competing interest.

This study did not receive any funding

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The ethics committee of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences (Tehran, Iran) approved the study protocol

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