ABSTRACT
|dxcEjcY_ Purpose: To quantify the prevalence of cataract, the outcomes
I|#1u7X%] of cataract surgery and the factors related to
foOwJ }JU unoperated cataract in Australia.
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v5m Methods: Participants were recruited from the Visual
AUk,sCxd Impairment Project: a cluster, stratified sample of more than
|QIFtdU5T 5000 Victorians aged 40 years and over. At examination
{ e
U_ sites interviews, clinical examinations and lens photography
"&,Gn#'FG were performed. Cataract was defined in participants who
APC,p," had: had previous cataract surgery, cortical cataract greater
l-Q.@hG than 4/16, nuclear greater than Wilmer standard 2, or
.|pyloL. posterior subcapsular greater than 1 mm2.
*+-L`b{SX Results: The participant group comprised 3271 Melbourne
.=nx5yz residents, 403 Melbourne nursing home residents and 1473
6Wm`Vj(s rural residents.The weighted rate of any cataract in Victoria
$\DOy&e was 21.5%. The overall weighted rate of prior cataract
kYVn4Wq surgery was 3.79%. Two hundred and forty-nine eyes had
J
*lKXFq7 had prior cataract surgery. Of these 249 procedures, 49
7HpfHqJ7 (20%) were aphakic, 6 (2.4%) had anterior chamber
aa'u5<<W intraocular lenses and 194 (78%) had posterior chamber
"0nT:!BZ intraocular lenses.Two hundred and eleven of these operated
Gg\805L@ eyes (85%) had best-corrected visual acuity of 6/12 or
f~RS[h`: better, the legal requirement for a driver’s license.Twentyseven
e+!+(D (11%) had visual acuity of less than 6/18 (moderate
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p{Wr vision impairment). Complications of cataract surgery
4rmSo^vK caused reduced vision in four of the 27 eyes (15%), or 1.9%
%|3I|'%Y of operated eyes. Three of these four eyes had undergone
I-fjqo3 intracapsular cataract extraction and the fourth eye had an
j#C1+Us opaque posterior capsule. No one had bilateral vision
DRBRs-D impairment as a result of cataract surgery. Surprisingly, no
Nvlfi8. particular demographic factors (such as age, gender, rural
P~>E residence, occupation, employment status, health insurance
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status, ethnicity) were related to the presence of unoperated
7#
/c7 cataract.
wX0m8"g@ Conclusions: Although the overall prevalence of cataract is
\,w*K'B_Y quite high, no particular subgroup is systematically underserviced
fjE in terms of cataract surgery. Overall, the results of
6O`s&T,t cataract surgery are very good, with the majority of eyes
hrT_0FZV achieving driving vision following cataract extraction.
LIo3a38n?y Key words: cataract extraction, health planning, health
B]`!L/ services accessibility, prevalence
woH B![Q, INTRODUCTION
BVKr 2v Cataract is the leading cause of blindness worldwide and, in
2\$P&L
a Australia, cataract extractions account for the majority of all
aKLA_-E ophthalmic procedures.1 Over the period 1985–94, the rate
ad\?@>[I of cataract surgery in Australia was twice as high as would be
GTj=R$%09 expected from the growth in the elderly population.1
K/2k/\Jk[_ Although there have been a number of studies reporting
>q'xW=Y
j\ the prevalence of cataract in various populations,2–6 there is
jm-J_o;}z6 little information about determinants of cataract surgery in
^4+ew>BLSv the population. A previous survey of Australian ophthalmologists
YL
)epi^ showed that patient concern and lifestyle, rather
E&\dr;{7 than visual acuity itself, are the primary factors for referral
s`j QX\{ for cataract surgery.7 This supports prior research which has
fn%Gu s~ shown that visual acuity is not a strong predictor of need for
*wgHa6?+7 cataract surgery.8,9 Elsewhere, socioeconomic status has
cTA8F"UGD been shown to be related to cataract surgery rates.10
WIytgM To appropriately plan health care services, information is
IL:d`Kbqf needed about the prevalence of age-related cataract in the
uHBEpqC% community as well as the factors associated with cataract
egBjr? surgery. The purpose of this study is to quantify the prevalence
_RLx;Tn)L of any cataract in Australia, to describe the factors
L
x{bR= related to unoperated cataract in the community and to
xW$F
-
n describe the visual outcomes of cataract surgery.
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METHODS
)Ir_:lk Study population
Wq bfZx Details about the study methodology for the Visual
16iy
miLz& Impairment Project have been published previously.11
jpL'y1@Ut Briefly, cluster sampling within three strata was employed to
"
6T: &> recruit subjects aged 40 years and over to participate.
=j)y.x( Within the Melbourne Statistical Division, nine pairs of
K!X>k census collector districts were randomly selected. Fourteen
sU
{' nursing homes within a 5 km radius of these nine test sites
UbBo#(TZ) were randomly chosen to recruit nursing home residents.
h)%}O.ueB Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology (2000) 28, 77–82
9n$0OH
/q Original Article
_3q% Operated and unoperated cataract in Australia
KY)rkfo B Catherine A McCarty PhD, MPH, Mukesh B Nanjan PhD, Hugh R Taylor MD
s\c*ibxM, Centre for Eye Research Australia, Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
-Jo8jE~>V n Correspondence: Dr Cathy McCarty MPH, Centre for Eye Research Australia, Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, 32 Gisborne Street, East Melbourne,
aR }|^ex Victoria 3002, Australia. Email:
cathy@cera.unimelb.edu.au n-h2SQl! 78 McCarty et al.
5K1WfdBX7) Finally, four pairs of census collector districts in four rural
go, Hfb Victorian communities were randomly selected to recruit rural
^y.e
Fz residents. A household census was conducted to identify
9m2_zfO[w eligible residents aged 40 years and over who had been a
gTI!b resident at that address for at least 6 months. At the time of
F{1;~Yg% the household census, basic information about age, sex,
9aLS%-x!+ country of birth, language spoken at home, education, use of
B]PTe~n^ corrective spectacles and use of eye care services was collected.
8:Yha4<Bv7 Eligible residents were then invited to attend a local
*7"R[!9 examination site for a more detailed interview and examination.
7wt2|$Qz The study protocol was approved by the Royal Victorian
=-M)2&~L~ Eye and Ear Hospital Human Research Ethics Committee.
32_{nLV$[ Assessment of cataract
P#o/S4 A standardized ophthalmic examination was performed after
>wK ^W{ pupil dilatation with one drop of 10% phenylephrine
lVywc:X hydrochloride. Lens opacities were graded clinically at the
uN`{; Av time of the examination and subsequently from photos using
|Rr^K5hmD the Wilmer cataract photo-grading system.12 Cortical and
BX[92~Bq posterior subcapsular (PSC) opacities were assessed on
/Kmzi9j+ retroillumination and measured as the proportion (in 1/16)
(>qX> of pupil circumference occupied by opacity. For this analysis,
a:jRQ-F) cortical cataract was defined as 4/16 or greater opacity,
2[&3$-] PSC cataract was defined as opacity equal to or greater than
Jtj_Rl
! 1 mm2 and nuclear cataract was defined as opacity equal to
}?,Gn]] or greater than Wilmer standard 2,12 independent of visual
!F0MLvdX7^ acuity. Examples of the minimum opacities defined as cortical,
p*10u@, nuclear and PSC cataract are presented in Figure 1.
||y5XXs Bilateral congenital cataracts or cataracts secondary to
&z;;Bx0s intraocular inflammation or trauma were excluded from the
z\Y+5<