ABSTRACT
9.qjEe Purpose: To quantify the prevalence of cataract, the outcomes
wqLY
\ of cataract surgery and the factors related to
ZkZTCb`/l unoperated cataract in Australia.
eE/E#W8 Methods: Participants were recruited from the Visual
2-*zevPiG= Impairment Project: a cluster, stratified sample of more than
K7H`Yt 5000 Victorians aged 40 years and over. At examination
3jB5F0^r1 sites interviews, clinical examinations and lens photography
h}o7/p were performed. Cataract was defined in participants who
4 <`'? had: had previous cataract surgery, cortical cataract greater
5&\% than 4/16, nuclear greater than Wilmer standard 2, or
P~
y% posterior subcapsular greater than 1 mm2.
n2$(MDdL` Results: The participant group comprised 3271 Melbourne
Hki residents, 403 Melbourne nursing home residents and 1473
-~-BQ!!( rural residents.The weighted rate of any cataract in Victoria
2.
zx was 21.5%. The overall weighted rate of prior cataract
q;p:)Q" surgery was 3.79%. Two hundred and forty-nine eyes had
b]Xc5Dp{ had prior cataract surgery. Of these 249 procedures, 49
7]w]i5 (20%) were aphakic, 6 (2.4%) had anterior chamber
D@5AI
]( intraocular lenses and 194 (78%) had posterior chamber
Qyr^\a;k' intraocular lenses.Two hundred and eleven of these operated
Rs<li\GS eyes (85%) had best-corrected visual acuity of 6/12 or
8MH ZWi better, the legal requirement for a driver’s license.Twentyseven
{uQp
$` (11%) had visual acuity of less than 6/18 (moderate
'<.@a"DnJ vision impairment). Complications of cataract surgery
H53dy*wb$ caused reduced vision in four of the 27 eyes (15%), or 1.9%
*TEgV of operated eyes. Three of these four eyes had undergone
%B&y^mZv*\ intracapsular cataract extraction and the fourth eye had an
o+o'!) opaque posterior capsule. No one had bilateral vision
]\y:AkxhJ impairment as a result of cataract surgery. Surprisingly, no
2aef[TY particular demographic factors (such as age, gender, rural
lj{J w.t residence, occupation, employment status, health insurance
h#ogL-UU status, ethnicity) were related to the presence of unoperated
pDlU*& cataract.
9%i|_c} Conclusions: Although the overall prevalence of cataract is
6tC0F= quite high, no particular subgroup is systematically underserviced
C 'YL9r-G in terms of cataract surgery. Overall, the results of
U,?[x2LF cataract surgery are very good, with the majority of eyes
.""?k[f5Q achieving driving vision following cataract extraction.
5.KhI <[ Key words: cataract extraction, health planning, health
i /j
DwA services accessibility, prevalence
ev}lb+pr)_ INTRODUCTION
8CR b6 Cataract is the leading cause of blindness worldwide and, in
\OV><|Lkh Australia, cataract extractions account for the majority of all
MlDWK_y_& ophthalmic procedures.1 Over the period 1985–94, the rate
]!JUiFj"uD of cataract surgery in Australia was twice as high as would be
'
P1I-ue expected from the growth in the elderly population.1
a^U)2{A*f Although there have been a number of studies reporting
X,)`<
>=O the prevalence of cataract in various populations,2–6 there is
`Ap<xT0H little information about determinants of cataract surgery in
sp=;i8Y 3 the population. A previous survey of Australian ophthalmologists
tVB9k
xtE showed that patient concern and lifestyle, rather
=Oo=&vA.oc than visual acuity itself, are the primary factors for referral
Y[=X b for cataract surgery.7 This supports prior research which has
8zDLX,M- shown that visual acuity is not a strong predictor of need for
xc4g`Xi cataract surgery.8,9 Elsewhere, socioeconomic status has
_Hhf.DmUAH been shown to be related to cataract surgery rates.10
q%g!TFMg To appropriately plan health care services, information is
U3R;'80 f needed about the prevalence of age-related cataract in the
it
Byw1/ community as well as the factors associated with cataract
3`%]3qd} surgery. The purpose of this study is to quantify the prevalence
%rU8^'Gu of any cataract in Australia, to describe the factors
Q L0 related to unoperated cataract in the community and to
=tP%K*Il4 describe the visual outcomes of cataract surgery.
C;mcb$@ METHODS
reBAxmt Study population
9L2]PU
v Details about the study methodology for the Visual
AQx:}PO Impairment Project have been published previously.11
mE|?0mRA % Briefly, cluster sampling within three strata was employed to
SauX C recruit subjects aged 40 years and over to participate.
3FD6.X>x Within the Melbourne Statistical Division, nine pairs of
jN[P$}#b` census collector districts were randomly selected. Fourteen
Fv| )[>z0 nursing homes within a 5 km radius of these nine test sites
U*p;
N,SjQ were randomly chosen to recruit nursing home residents.
`(2Y%L(r Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology (2000) 28, 77–82
<"GgqyRzv Original Article
kYW>o}J| Operated and unoperated cataract in Australia
>cTSX Catherine A McCarty PhD, MPH, Mukesh B Nanjan PhD, Hugh R Taylor MD
bfE4.YF Centre for Eye Research Australia, Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
nzcXL
=^r3 n Correspondence: Dr Cathy McCarty MPH, Centre for Eye Research Australia, Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, 32 Gisborne Street, East Melbourne,
d~0k}|> Victoria 3002, Australia. Email:
cathy@cera.unimelb.edu.au uK6'TJ 78 McCarty et al.
51sn+h<w Finally, four pairs of census collector districts in four rural
k1.h |&JJN Victorian communities were randomly selected to recruit rural
=._V$:a6o residents. A household census was conducted to identify
A$7j B4 eligible residents aged 40 years and over who had been a
eBZ94rA] resident at that address for at least 6 months. At the time of
Rj'Tu0l the household census, basic information about age, sex,
J,W<vrKOcN country of birth, language spoken at home, education, use of
99KW("C1F corrective spectacles and use of eye care services was collected.
85}S8\_u Eligible residents were then invited to attend a local
E ',z<S examination site for a more detailed interview and examination.
'PS_
|zI The study protocol was approved by the Royal Victorian
(zmLMG(R Eye and Ear Hospital Human Research Ethics Committee.
2]UwIxzR Assessment of cataract
+$;#bw)yH A standardized ophthalmic examination was performed after
b_&KL_vo{| pupil dilatation with one drop of 10% phenylephrine
p=d,kY hydrochloride. Lens opacities were graded clinically at the
k9*6`w time of the examination and subsequently from photos using
EK%J%NY the Wilmer cataract photo-grading system.12 Cortical and
3nbTK3, posterior subcapsular (PSC) opacities were assessed on
Ai*+LSG retroillumination and measured as the proportion (in 1/16)
=
mp"=% of pupil circumference occupied by opacity. For this analysis,
qydRmi cortical cataract was defined as 4/16 or greater opacity,
j9d^8)O, PSC cataract was defined as opacity equal to or greater than
J?$`Tn
x^ 1 mm2 and nuclear cataract was defined as opacity equal to
x,fX mgE or greater than Wilmer standard 2,12 independent of visual
;uhpo acuity. Examples of the minimum opacities defined as cortical,
X
2Zp@q( nuclear and PSC cataract are presented in Figure 1.
']:>Ww.S Bilateral congenital cataracts or cataracts secondary to
\uyZl2=WWa intraocular inflammation or trauma were excluded from the
K&{ruHoKB analysis. Two cases of bilateral secondary cataract and eight
E5X#9;U8E" cases of bilateral congenital cataract were excluded from the
9zD,z+ analyses.
6sQY)F7p A Topcon® SL5 photo slit-lamp (Topcon America Corp.,
p;<aZ&@O Paramus, NJ, USA) with a 0.1 mm slit beam of 9.0 mm in
68()2v4X height set to an incident angle of 30° was used for examinations.
hbSXa' Ektachrome® 200 ASA colour slide film (Eastman
!E~czC\p6 Kodak Company, Rochester, NY, USA) was used to photograph
8=,?Bh". the nuclear opacities. The cortical opacities were
U}<' [o
V photographed with an Oxford® retroillumination camera
u):Nq<X (Marcher Enterprises Ltd, Hereford, UK) and T-MAX® 400
C5^9D film (Eastman Kodak). Photographs were graded separately
ehV}}1>O by two research assistants and discrepancies were adjudicated
Y?4N%c_; by an independent reviewer. Any discrepancies
\y0]BH between the clinical grades and the photograph grades were
B42qiV2/k resolved. Except in cases where photographs were missing,
*EF`s~ the photograph grades were used in the analyses. Photograph
qpX`ZY^ grades were available for 4301 (84%) for cortical
#^9a[ZLj0 cataract, 4147 (81%) for nuclear cataract and 4303 (84%)
,xg(F0q for PSC cataract. Cataract status was classified according to
om1D} irKT the severity of the opacity in the worse eye.
=p \eh?^ Assessment of risk factors
OP98 sd&T A standardized questionnaire was used to obtain information
4v#A#5+O E about education, employment and ethnic background.11
blmY=/] Specific information was elicited on the occurrence, duration
yUX<W'-Hev and treatment of a number of medical conditions,
4Ep6vm X including ocular trauma, arthritis, diabetes, gout, hypertension
xP5Z -eL and mental illness. Information about the use, dose and
qFwAzW;" duration of tobacco, alcohol, analgesics and steriods were
xF`
O ehVA collected, and a food frequency questionnaire was used to
}3S6TJ+ determine current consumption of dietary sources of antioxidants
6G;t:[H G and use of vitamin supplements.
xX\A&9m Data management and statistical analysis
x-HR [{C Data were collected either by direct computer entry with a
?dQ#%
06mn questionnaire programmed in Paradox© (Carel Corporation,
Vee;& Ottawa, Canada) with internal consistency checks, or
10ZL-7D#m on self-coding forms. Open-ended responses were coded at
3bR 6Y[ a later time. Data that were entered on the self-coded forms
1zIrU6H2;_ were entered into a computer with double data entry and
[OwrIL reconciliation of any inconsistencies. Data range and consistency
zF_aJ+i:~ checks were performed on the entire data set.
%s#`Z [8, SAS© version 6.1 (SAS Institute, Cary, North Carolina) was
r&O:Bt}x employed for statistical analyses.
~.<}/GP] _ Ninety-five per cent confidence limits around the agespecific
z{G@t0q rates were calculated according to Cochran13 to
oU)HxV
account for the effect of the cluster sampling. Ninety-five
Ku;8Mx{ per cent confidence limits around age-standardized rates
IK|W^hH\8 were calculated according to Breslow and Day.14 The strataspecific
W=?s-*F[~ data were weighted according to the 1996
'sN
(=CQ Australian Bureau of Statistics census data15 to reflect the
XFcIBWS cataract prevalence in the entire Victorian population.
m|k:wuzqK Univariate analyses with Student’s t-tests and chi-squared
/rmm@ tests were first employed to evaluate risk factors for unoperated
D(^ |'1 cataract. Any factors with P < 0.10 were then fitted
5wGc"JHm into a backwards stepwise logistic regression model. For the
\&1Di\eL Figure 1. Minimum levels of cortical (a), nuclear (b), and posterior subcapsular (c) cataract.
UZ3oc[#D=] final multivariate models, P < 0.05 was considered statistically
w@ \quy: significant. Design effect was assessed through the use
A]mXV4RmI of cluster-specific models and multivariate models. The
uY*|bD`6& design effect was assumed to be additive and an adjustment
'3V?M;3|K made in the variance by adding the variance associated with
]2'{W]m the design effect prior to constructing the 95% confidence
2Uq4PCx!
limits.
_+x&[^gjP RESULTS
'CC;=@J Study population
z\Y-8a.] A total of 3271 (83%) of the Melbourne residents, 403
c!}f\ ]D (90%) Melbourne nursing home residents, and 1473 (92%)
hu''"/raM rural residents participated. In general, non-participants did
c=A)_Z
Fg not differ from participants.16 The study population was
*O@uF4+!1 representative of the Victorian population and Australia as
Q)b*;
@ a whole.
*C n `pfO The Melbourne residents ranged in age from 40 to
84$#!=v 98 years (mean = 59) and 1511 (46%) were male. The
2t7Hu)V Melbourne nursing home residents ranged in age from 46 to
Ib665H7w 101 years (mean = 82) and 85 (21%) were men. The rural
_&
qM^ residents ranged in age from 40 to 103 years (mean = 60)
fb||q-E and 701 (47.5%) were men.
_LUTIqlvi Prevalence of cataract and prior cataract surgery
`:fc*n,* As would be expected, the rate of any cataract increases
"O,TL*$ dramatically with age (Table 1). The weighted rate of any
y
2v69nu~q cataract in Victoria was 21.5% (95% CL 18.1, 24.9).
qf2;yRc& Although the rates varied somewhat between the three
p|b&hgA strata, they were not significantly different as the 95% confidence
$5;RQNhXh limits overlapped. The per cent of cataractous eyes
Ie%tw
c with best-corrected visual acuity of less than 6/12 was 12.5%
v<qiu>sbz} (65/520) for cortical cataract, 18% for nuclear cataract
47c` ) *Hc (97/534) and 14.4% (27/187) for PSC cataract. Cataract
^?3e?Q? surgery also rose dramatically with age. The overall
D9|?1+Kc weighted rate of prior cataract surgery in Victoria was
cPgz?,hE 3.79% (95% CL 2.97, 4.60) (Table 2).
]%K 8 Risk factors for unoperated cataract
cNd2XQB9= Cases of cataract that had not been removed were classified
E"P5rT as unoperated cataract. Risk factor analyses for unoperated
'r5[tK} cataract were not performed with the nursing home residents
Fq<;- as information about risk factor exposure was not
`ju r`^S| available for this cohort. The following factors were assessed
_\P9~w
` in relation to unoperated cataract: age, sex, residence
YC
uuj$ (urban/rural), language spoken at home (a measure of ethnic
?OU+)kgzh integration), country of birth, parents’ country of birth (a
2_4m}T3 measure of ethnicity), years since migration, education, use
u/% 4WgA of ophthalmic services, use of optometric services, private
UJ'}p&E health insurance status, duration of distance glasses use,
kXq*Jq glaucoma, age-related maculopathy and employment status.
;b""N, In this cross sectional study it was not possible to assess the
IJ%
S[> level of visual acuity that would predict a patient’s having
*Iu
.>nw cataract surgery, as visual acuity data prior to cataract
cN> z`xl surgery were not available.
S|8O$9{x9q The significant risk factors for unoperated cataract in univariate
.kT5 4U;{ analyses were related to: whether a participant had
{GS7J ever seen an optometrist, seen an ophthalmologist or been
p[QF3)9F diagnosed with glaucoma; and participants’ employment
Q-[^!RAK? status (currently employed) and age. These significant
&pZU