Visual outcome after high volume cataract surgery in Pakistan

The Minimally Important Difference (MID) in Visual Acuity That Represents Changes in Patients' Quality of Life

To assess the minimal change in visual acuity perceived by patients as important in different eye-related interventions. PubMed was utilized to search articles on each of the four major interventions: cataract surgery, keratoplasty, different glaucoma treatments, and refractive eye surgery, each combined with quality of life (QoL) and visual acuity keywords. The search was narrowed to articles between 2000 and 2023. Seventy-four major articles were thus reviewed. Of these, 27 studies reviewed the results of cataract surgery, 20 studies discussed the effect of keratoplasty interventions on the vision-related QoL (VRQoL), most showing that VRQoL improved significantly after keratoplasty, 11 studies investigated the effect of different glaucoma interventions on patients' visual acuity and the QoL, 16 studies reviewed refractive surgery, where they showed an improved QoL in most of the cases, although some of the studies showed a slight superiority of one intervention over the other in the short term. The minimally important difference (MID) perceived in visual acuity depends mainly on the type of surgical intervention (keratoplasty, glaucoma, or refractive surgery), and the impact on QoL on improved visual acuity differs depending on the intervention.

Deferring Postoperative Follow‑Up Visits up to 4 Weeks After Uneventful Cataract Surgery in a Tertiary Level Eye Hospital: Protocol for a Prospective, Quantitative, Experimental Control Study

BACKGROUND

Routine examination after cataract surgery, including a refraction test 4 to 6 weeks after surgery, is mandatory in most hospitals. In recent years, there has been growing interest in exploring alternative approaches to postoperative follow-up in cataract surgery patients due to the increasing number of cataract surgeries being performed, the limited availability of health care resources, and the need to optimize the use of health care services.

OBJECTIVE

We aim to compare postoperative visual outcomes after a day 0 examination in patients with 2 follow‑ups, one on day 7 and other on day 30, and patients with a single ophthalmic follow‑up between days 25 to 30.

METHODS

A prospective, quantitative, experimental control study will be carried out in Reiyukai Eiko Masunaga Eye Hospital, located in Banepa, Kavrepalanchok, Nepal. All patients undergoing cataract surgery meeting the inclusion and exclusion criteria irrespective of the type of surgery (small-incision cataract surgery or phacoemulsification) will be included in the study. The patients will be randomly assigned to 1 of 2 groups. Patients in group 1 will be examined on day 1, day 7, and day 30, whereas patients in group 2 will be examined on day 1 and once between days 25 to 30. The minimum clinically important difference (MCID) in our study will be set according to the improvement in the Snellen visual acuity chart.

RESULTS

The study is expected to be completed within 6 to 8 months from the start of the project. Data analysis and report writing will be carried out in a 2-month period. Best-corrected visual acuity will be compared between the 2 groups to determine if the MCID is achieved. The cost-effectiveness of the new approach will also be analyzed.

CONCLUSIONS

We aim to conclude that we can safely defer the 1-week postoperative follow-up visit in patients undergoing uncomplicated cataract surgery and that, moreover, we can reduce the patient load at the hospital and decrease patient expenses by decreasing the frequency of hospital visits.

INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID)

PRR1-10.2196/48616.

Exploring eye care pathways, patient priorities and economics in Pakistan: A scoping review and expert consultation study with thematic analysis

Purpose

As the prevalence of eye diseases increases, demand for effective, accessible and equitable eye care grows worldwide. This is especially true in lower and middle‐income countries, which have variable levels of infrastructure and economic resources to meet this increased demand. In the present study we aimed to review the literature on eye care in Pakistan comprehensively, with a particular focus on eye care pathways, patient priorities and economics.

Methods

A systematic scoping review was performed to identify literature relating to eye care in Pakistan. Searches of relevant electronic databases and grey literature were carried out. The results were analysed through a mixed methods approach encompassing descriptive numerical summary and thematic analysis. To consolidate results and define priority areas for future study, expert consultation exercises with key stakeholders were conducted using qualitative semi‐structured interviews.

Results

One hundred and thirty‐two papers (published and unpublished) were included in the final review. The majority (n = 93) of studies utilised a quantitative design. Seven interlinked themes were identified: eye care pathways, burden of eye disease, public views on eye‐related issues, workforce, barriers to uptake of eye care services, quality of eye care services and economic impact of blindness. Research priorities included investigating the eye care workforce, the quality and efficiency of current eye care services, eye care services available in rural Pakistan and the costs and benefits related to eye care provision and sustaining eye care programmes.

Conclusions

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first review to synthesise evidence from papers across the field relating to eye care in Pakistan. As such, this work provides new insights into the achievements of the national eye health programme, challenges in eye care in Pakistan and priority areas for future research.

Visual outcomes of cataract surgery: An observational study of ten years from a tertiary eye care hospital in Pakistan

Objectives:

To observe and analyze the visual outcomes of cataract surgery of ten years at a tertiary eye care hospital, Karachi.

Methods:

An observational study with retrospective data search was conducted in Al Ibrahim Eye Hospital (AIEH), Karachi. Data of all adults (above 16 years) who underwent cataract surgery from 2010-2019 was retrieved from HIMS. Presence of opacity in the lens was labelled as cataract. Surgery was advised when patient’s BCVA was found to be ≤ 6/18. Visual assessments of the patients were done on day 01, one week and six weeks postoperatively. Postoperatively, 6/6 – 6/12 was considered as good, 6/18 as mild visual impairment, < 6/18 to 6/60 as moderate visual impairment and < 6/60 as severe visual impairment.

Results:

A total of 1,027,840 patients visited AIEH with different eye diseases. Among 1027840 individuals, cataract was identified in 88443 (8.6%). Surgery was advised to 58371 and performed in 38616. Records of operated cases (38616) were retrieved. Mean age of patients was 54.96±14.22 years. There were 20578 (53.29%) males and 18038 (46.71%) females who underwent surgery . At the end of sixth week, 3561 (18.4%), patients were found to have “good vision”, 12242 (63.43%) had mild visual impairment, 2676 (13.86%) had moderate visual impairment and 822 (4.26%) had severe visual impairment. Corneal Complications was the commonest cause (33.56%) at sixth week.

Conclusions:

The institution achieved WHO recommended criteria of “good visual outcome” (6/6 to 6/18) of 81.83% which is near to recommended ≥ 90% and severe visual impairment of 4.26%.

The Correlation of Age and Postoperative Visual Acuity for Age-Related Cataract

Purpose. Clinically, what is the best time for age-related cataract (ARC) patients to receive surgeries and get the most benefits is important. We explored the relationship between age and presenting postoperative visual acuity (POVA) in patients from rural China. Methods. Three Lifeline Express Hospital Eye-Train missions of Peking University People's Hospital were chosen. At the first day after surgery, 3452 ARC eyes with the presenting POVA ≥ 6/60 were enrolled. The relationship between age and POVA was analyzed statistically. Results. In these three missions, there were more female patients than males; the ratio of females to males was 1.71. The average age of females was older than males. Overall, the percentages of patients with good visual outcomes (≥6/18) were significantly decreased with aging. Different regions had variations, but the trends were the same. There was weak linear correlation between age and POVA. The correlations of females were stronger than males in Yuncheng and Sanmenxia and weaker than males in Zhoukou. Conclusion. The good visual outcomes of presenting POVA were significantly decreased with aging and there were weak linear correlations between age and POVA in rural China. The linear correlation might be influenced by the difference of gender and region.

Outcomes of Cataract Surgery at a Referral Center

Purpose:

To report the outcomes of cataract surgery at a large referral eye hospital and to identify factors associated with less than excellent visual outcomes.

Methods:

Hospital records of patients, who had undergone age-related cataract extraction (1,285 procedures) within a two-year period were sampled randomly for 353 patients (405 eyes) and baseline characteristics were recorded. Up to three causes of visual loss (contributory reasons) were considered and the principal cause of “less than excellent outcome,” i.e., best spectacle corrected visual acuity (BSCVA) <20/25 was defined as the primary reason.

Results:

Mean age of the participants was 68.6 years, and 50.7% of enrolled subjects were female. Phacoemulsification had been performed in 92.1% of cases. Out of 405 eyes, 54%, 78%, and 97% achieved BSCVA of ≥20/25, ≥20/40, and ≥20/200, respectively. Poor visual outcomes were significantly associated with older age (OR: 4.55 for age >70 years), female gender (OR: 4.64), ocular comorbidities (OR: 7.68), surgically challenging eyes (OR: 7.33), long and short eyes (versus eyes with normal axial length, OR: 3.24), and being operated on by a novice surgeon (OR: 2.41). The leading contributory reasons for unfavorable outcome, in descending order were maculopathy (17%), posterior capsule opacification (PCO, 11.8%), corneal opacity (5.7%), and degenerative myopia (5.4%).

Conclusion:

Maculopathy, PCO, corneal opacity, degenerative myopia and ARMD may contribute to unfavorable outcomes in cataract surgery.

The challenges in improving outcome of cataract surgery in low and middle income countries

Cataract is the leading cause of blindness globally and surgery is the only known measure to deal with it effectively. Providing high quality cataract surgical services is critical if patients with cataract are to have their sight restored. A key focus of surgery is the outcome of the procedure. In cataract surgery this is measured predominantly, using visual acuity. Population- and hospital-based studies have revealed that the visual outcome of cataract surgery in many low and middle income settings is frequently sub-optimal, often failing to reach the recommended standards set by the World Health Organization (WHO). Another way of measuring outcome of cataract surgery is to ask patients for their views on whether surgery has changed the functioning of their eyes and their quality of life. There are different tools available to capture patient views and now, these patient-reported outcomes are becoming more widely used. This paper discusses the visual outcome of cataract surgery and frames the outcome of surgery within the context of the surgical service, suggesting that the process and outcome of care cannot be separated. It also discusses the components of patient-reported outcome tools and describes some available tools in more detail. Finally, it describes a hierarchy of challenges that need to be addressed before a high quality cataract surgical service can be achieved.

Outcome and Monitoring of Cataract Surgical Services at Takeo Province, Cambodia

PURPOSE

To evaluate outcome and monitoring of cataract surgical services at Takeo Eye Hospital, Cambodia

DESIGN

A prospective, hospital-based report using a cataract surgical record form from the International Center for Eye Health, London.

METHODS

Data including preoperative and postoperative visual acuity (VA), proportion of ocular pathology, intraoperative and postoperative complications, type of surgery, and causes of poor outcome of all patients with cataract were collected. Exclusion criteria were age of patients being younger than 20 years, combined cataract-glaucoma surgeries, and having traumatic cataract.

RESULTS

A total of 8211 cataract surgeries were performed from January 2007 to December 2011. Preoperatively, the presenting VA was less than 6/60 in 65.8%. At discharge, 51.8% had a presenting VA of 6/18 or better.Outcome was poor (VA < 6/60) in 10.6%. Over 5 years, the percentage of patients with poor outcome decreased from 12.6% to 8.5%. Total operative complications decreased from 18.2% in 2007 to 3.3% in 2011, with a reduction of vitreous loss from 6.5% to 1.8%. Of all surgeries, 21.2% were performed by resident physicians. At the first follow-up 1 to 3 weeks postoperatively, 62.6% of the patients presented, whereas 23.9% presented for a second follow-up after 4 to 6 weeks.

CONCLUSIONS

Monitoring of cataract surgical services indicated an increase in quantity and quality. Hospital-based data collection as recommended by the World Health Organization action plan for the prevention of avoidable blindness is possible, but biased data collection has to be considered in the interpretation of the data.

The surgical management of cataract: barriers, best practices and outcomes

Cataract is the leading cause of blindness in the world. Cataract surgery has been shown by multiple studies to be one of the most cost-effective health interventions, and leads to a dramatic increase in quality of life and productivity for many patients. Though there has been marked improvement in the last several decades, surgical delivery services in developing nations are still suboptimal, and a large backlog in cataract cases continues to grow. To decrease this backlog, barriers to surgery, such as direct and indirect patient costs, geographic access to surgical facilities and surgeons, cultural factors, and patient education, must be addressed. In particular, access to services by women and rural patients needs to be improved. It is clear that extracapsular techniques are cost-effective and lead to better post-operative outcomes than intracapsular cataract extraction with aphakic correction. In addition, monitoring surgical outcomes is essential for improving the quality of surgical services. However, other issues regarding the delivery of cataract surgical services, including the role of average power intraocular lenses and the role of non-physician surgeons, are yet unresolved. Information about the true cost of surgery, including costs of surgeon training, equipment, and patient outreach programs, is needed so that the goal of self-sustaining programs may be obtained.

Causes of blindness and visual impairment in Pakistan. The Pakistan national blindness and visual impairment survey

OBJECTIVE

To determine the causes of blindness and visual impairment in adults (> or =30 years old) in Pakistan, and to explore socio-demographic variations in cause.

METHODS

A multi-stage, stratified, cluster random sampling survey was used to select a nationally representative sample of adults. Each subject was interviewed, had their visual acuity measured and underwent autorefraction and fundus/optic disc examination. Those with a visual acuity of <6/12 in either eye underwent a more detailed ophthalmic examination. Causes of visual impairment were classified according to the accepted World Health Organization (WHO) methodology. An exploration of demographic variables was conducted using regression modeling.

RESULTS

A sample of 16 507 adults (95.5% of those enumerated) was examined. Cataract was the most common cause of blindness (51.5%; defined as <3/60 in the better eye on presentation) followed by corneal opacity (11.8%), uncorrected aphakia (8.6%) and glaucoma (7.1%). Posterior capsular opacification accounted for 3.6% of blindness. Among the moderately visually impaired (<6/18 to > or =6/60), refractive error was the most common cause (43%), followed by cataract (42%). Refractive error as a cause of severe visual impairment/blindness was significantly higher in rural dwellers than in urban dwellers (odds ratio (OR) 3.5, 95% CI 1.1 to 11.7). Significant provincial differences were also identified. Overall we estimate that 85.5% of causes were avoidable and that 904 000 adults in Pakistan have cataract (<6/60) requiring surgical intervention.

CONCLUSIONS

This comprehensive survey provides reliable estimates of the causes of blindness and visual impairment in Pakistan. Despite expanded surgical services, cataract still accounts for over half of the cases of blindness in Pakistan. One in eight blind adults has visual loss from sequelae of cataract surgery. Services for refractive errors need to be further expanded and integrated into eye care services, particularly those serving rural populations.

Outcomes of cataract surgery in Pakistan: results from The Pakistan National Blindness and Visual Impairment Survey

AIM

To evaluate the outcomes of cataract surgery in Pakistan.

METHODS

Cross-sectional, nationally representative sample of 16 507 adults (aged >or=30 years). Each underwent interview, logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution visual acuity (VA), autorefraction, examination of optic disc. Those with <6/12 VA on presentation underwent best-corrected VA and dilated biomicroscopic ocular examination.

RESULTS

1317 subjects (633 men) had undergone surgery in one or both eyes. Of the 1788 operated eyes, 1099 (61%) had undergone intracapsular cataract extraction (ICCE) and 607 (34%) extracapsular surgery with an intraocular lens (ECCE+IOL). Presenting VA: 275 (15.4%) eyes: 6/12 or better; 253 (14.1) <6/12 >or=6/18; 632 (35.3%) 6/18 to 6/60; 85 (4.8%): 6/60 to 3/60; 528 (29.5%): <3/60. With "best" refractive correction, these values were: 563 (31.5%), 332 (18.6%), 492 (27.5%), 61 (3.4%), 334 (18.7%), respectively. Of the 1498 eyes with VA <or=6/12 on presentation, 352 (23.5%) were the result of coincident disease, 800 (53.4%) refractive error and 320 (21.4%) operative complications. Eye camp surgery (OR 1.72, p = 0.002), ICCE (OR 3.78; p<0.001), rural residence (OR 1.36, p = 0.01), female gender (OR 1.55, p<0.001) and illiteracy (OR 2.44, p<0.001) were associated with VA of <6/18. More recent ICCE surgeries were associated with a poorer outcome. The ratio of ECCE+IOL:ICCE in the last 3 years was 1.2:1, compared with 1:3.3 >or=4 years before the survey.

CONCLUSION

Almost a third of cataract operations result in a presenting VA of <6/60, which could be halved by appropriate refractive correction. This study highlights the need for an improvement in quality of surgery with a more balanced distribution of services.

Causes of blindness among hospital outpatients in Ecuador

BACKGROUND

There is a lack of published information on the causes of blindness in Ecuador and the Latin American region in general. This study is designed to enumerate the proportions of ocular conditions contributing to blindness in an outpatient population of an ophthalmology hospital in the coastal region of Ecuador.

METHODS

All cases presenting to an ophthalmology outpatient clinic over a 3-week period during September 2004 were reviewed (n = 802). Visual acuity was measured using a Snellen acuity chart and those who met the criteria for blindness were included in the study (n = 118). Blindness was defined under the World Health Organization protocol as visual acuity of <3/60. Both unilateral and bilateral blindness were included in the study. The diagnosis of ocular pathology contributing to blindness was recorded.

RESULTS

Among those considered to have unilateral blindness (n = 88), cataract was the most common cause (43%). This was followed by corneal pathologies (17%) and glaucoma (15%). Among those considered to have bilateral blindness (n = 30), refraction was the most common cause (37%), followed by cataract (23%) and glaucoma (17%).

CONCLUSION

The major causes of blindness found in this study reflected those in estimated data for the region. More studies are needed to improve the quality and quantity of epidemiological data on blindness in Ecuador and Latin America. Many obstacles to successful implementation of prevention of blindness programmes in South America still need to be overcome.