ABSTRACT GbO j%
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Purpose: To quantify the prevalence of cataract, the outcomes D
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of cataract surgery and the factors related to FBl,Mky
unoperated cataract in Australia. bj
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Methods: Participants were recruited from the Visual @\F7nhSfa
Impairment Project: a cluster, stratified sample of more than R8[VD iM6E
5000 Victorians aged 40 years and over. At examination cV>?*9z0
sites interviews, clinical examinations and lens photography .<Q
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were performed. Cataract was defined in participants who "&SE!3*m`I
had: had previous cataract surgery, cortical cataract greater C2R"96M7q
than 4/16, nuclear greater than Wilmer standard 2, or nq?+b >//
posterior subcapsular greater than 1 mm2. 4Vi*Qa_,y
Results: The participant group comprised 3271 Melbourne g"sb0d9
residents, 403 Melbourne nursing home residents and 1473 5P<"I["
rural residents.The weighted rate of any cataract in Victoria 8US35t:M
was 21.5%. The overall weighted rate of prior cataract e-`9-U%6
surgery was 3.79%. Two hundred and forty-nine eyes had 9K}Dm
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had prior cataract surgery. Of these 249 procedures, 49
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(20%) were aphakic, 6 (2.4%) had anterior chamber ;sA
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intraocular lenses and 194 (78%) had posterior chamber c),UO^EqV
intraocular lenses.Two hundred and eleven of these operated b [HnhAI
eyes (85%) had best-corrected visual acuity of 6/12 or GjEV]hqR
better, the legal requirement for a driver’s license.Twentyseven I*U7YqDC9
(11%) had visual acuity of less than 6/18 (moderate vrmMEWPV
vision impairment). Complications of cataract surgery P}AwE,&Q
caused reduced vision in four of the 27 eyes (15%), or 1.9% @8J*vY =e
of operated eyes. Three of these four eyes had undergone Ow?~+)
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intracapsular cataract extraction and the fourth eye had an I SZEP8w
opaque posterior capsule. No one had bilateral vision t_I-6`8o]
impairment as a result of cataract surgery. Surprisingly, no qK;J:GT>
particular demographic factors (such as age, gender, rural G:+D1J]
residence, occupation, employment status, health insurance vB7]L9=@"
status, ethnicity) were related to the presence of unoperated S~ckIN]
cataract. w@P86'< v
Conclusions: Although the overall prevalence of cataract is ^&F.T-( A
quite high, no particular subgroup is systematically underserviced 1|
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in terms of cataract surgery. Overall, the results of 9_*3xu<7i
cataract surgery are very good, with the majority of eyes 8}oe))b
achieving driving vision following cataract extraction. 4Vj]bm
Key words: cataract extraction, health planning, health ?aaYka]
services accessibility, prevalence toG- Dz&