To determine the impact of cataract surgery on visual function and quality of life in Birnin Kebbi, Nigeria. A hospital based study was conducted over a 6months period, in the two hospitals that offer cataract surgery in Kebbi State. All consecutive patients with cataract, meeting inclusion and exclusion study criteria were included. Initial preoperative evaluation included demographic data, history (ocular, surgical and medical), ocular examination and visual acuity. Direct interview to evaluate quality of life and visual function was conducted using the disease specific quality of life (QoL) and visual function (VF) questionnaires. All the patients underwent manual small incision cataract surgery (MSICS) with posterior chamber intraocular lens (PCIOL) implant. A post-operative evaluation was done at 6 weeks in all cases, during which visual acuity, visual function and QoL were re-evaluated. The data were double-entered and analyzed by SPSS16.0 software statistical package. Analysis was done using simple frequency proportions and chi-square test for significance. Correlation coefficients were used to examine the association of LogMAR score with VF and QoL scale score prior to cataract surgery and the association between the change in the LogMAR scores 6 weeks post-operatively with the change in the VF and QoL scale score Four hundred and fifty patients were recruited out of which 390 patients completed the study (final 6-weeks evaluation). There were 228 men (58.5%) and 162 women (41.5%). The age range of patients was 43-87 years; while the mean age was 61.6 ±9.8 SD years. One hundred and seventy eight (45.6%) patients were peasant farmers. Pre-operatively, 354 (91%) patients were cataract blind, out of which 225 (64%) were bilateral. The mean pre-operative visual acuity (VA), quality of life (QoL) and visual function (VF) were 2.43 (SD 0.5), 48.1 (SD 15.1) and 41.4 (SD 9.3) respectively. Preoperatively there was a positive correlation between patients’ visual acuity (VA) and visual function (r = 0.54). Similarly there was a positive correlation between preoperative visual acuity (VA) and quality of life (r=0.49). Post-operatively the mean LogMAR VA of the patients increased to 0.44 (SD 0.6), the visual function was 13.89 (SD 1.0) and the quality of life scores was 21.14(SD 2.28). Post-operatively there was a positive correlation in the quality of life of the patients and visual acuity (r = 0.37, p = 0.0001). However, there was minimal (weak) correlation between post-operative VA and VF (r = 0.10, p = 0.05). Intra-group analysis to compare visual acuity (VA), visual function (VF) and quality of life (QoL) changes in bilaterally versus unilaterally blind patients revealed a more significant improvement in all the three parameters in the bilateral blind patients. Specifically, mean change in VF (30.29) and QoL (31.36) were all significantly better in the bilaterally blind (P<0.0001). This study has shown a significant improvement in visual acuity, visual function and quality of life following manual small incision cataract surgery. These improvements were more remarkable in bilaterally blind cases. Considering the positive impact of manual small incision cataract surgery (MSICS) on VF and QoL, these two measures should be routinely incorporated into the pre-operative and post-operative assessment of all cataract patients. Furthermore, the latter (VF and QoL) should be adopted in studies evaluating the impact of surgical interventions following cataract surgery in general.