ABSTRACT
%X%f0J Purpose: To quantify the prevalence of cataract, the outcomes
Y=<zR9f` of cataract surgery and the factors related to
Wap\J7NY unoperated cataract in Australia.
M9~'dS'XI Methods: Participants were recruited from the Visual
-sDl[ Impairment Project: a cluster, stratified sample of more than
Su
+<mW 5000 Victorians aged 40 years and over. At examination
U!BZsVx sites interviews, clinical examinations and lens photography
)S#?'gt* were performed. Cataract was defined in participants who
j9/iBK\Y had: had previous cataract surgery, cortical cataract greater
]S@DVXH than 4/16, nuclear greater than Wilmer standard 2, or
'*&V7: posterior subcapsular greater than 1 mm2.
N
PqO
b Results: The participant group comprised 3271 Melbourne
i`}9VaUG residents, 403 Melbourne nursing home residents and 1473
>,)U46 rural residents.The weighted rate of any cataract in Victoria
[3tU0BU" was 21.5%. The overall weighted rate of prior cataract
pk;S"cnk surgery was 3.79%. Two hundred and forty-nine eyes had
N?A}WW# had prior cataract surgery. Of these 249 procedures, 49
LJ z6)kz (20%) were aphakic, 6 (2.4%) had anterior chamber
z$/s` |] intraocular lenses and 194 (78%) had posterior chamber
D&],.N intraocular lenses.Two hundred and eleven of these operated
bpDlFa eyes (85%) had best-corrected visual acuity of 6/12 or
tpgD{BY^wJ better, the legal requirement for a driver’s license.Twentyseven
ChNT;G<6$ (11%) had visual acuity of less than 6/18 (moderate
lx~C{tl2 vision impairment). Complications of cataract surgery
n%QWs1 b caused reduced vision in four of the 27 eyes (15%), or 1.9%
0juP"v$C> of operated eyes. Three of these four eyes had undergone
]\ZmK0q<: intracapsular cataract extraction and the fourth eye had an
:#N]s opaque posterior capsule. No one had bilateral vision
E 429<LQI/ impairment as a result of cataract surgery. Surprisingly, no
YCdtf7P=q particular demographic factors (such as age, gender, rural
p<FqK/ residence, occupation, employment status, health insurance
l @E
{K| status, ethnicity) were related to the presence of unoperated
f&Juq8s_0 cataract.
- Sn]` Conclusions: Although the overall prevalence of cataract is
C_h$$G{S( quite high, no particular subgroup is systematically underserviced
@v\8+0 in terms of cataract surgery. Overall, the results of
/f=31<+MtF cataract surgery are very good, with the majority of eyes
= ^%*: iT achieving driving vision following cataract extraction.
|`AJP Key words: cataract extraction, health planning, health
7eFFKl services accessibility, prevalence
_+Pz~_+kS INTRODUCTION
fzN?
X= Cataract is the leading cause of blindness worldwide and, in
xd4~[n\hm Australia, cataract extractions account for the majority of all
9!dG Xq ophthalmic procedures.1 Over the period 1985–94, the rate
[[ll4| of cataract surgery in Australia was twice as high as would be
jZe/h#J)[ expected from the growth in the elderly population.1
p@d_Ru Although there have been a number of studies reporting
{]4Zpev the prevalence of cataract in various populations,2–6 there is
.k,,PuP little information about determinants of cataract surgery in
B~YOU3 the population. A previous survey of Australian ophthalmologists
qtz~Y~h|> showed that patient concern and lifestyle, rather
}Am5b@g"$Y than visual acuity itself, are the primary factors for referral
\[AJWyP for cataract surgery.7 This supports prior research which has
Q-yNw0V}F shown that visual acuity is not a strong predictor of need for
@J'tPW<$ cataract surgery.8,9 Elsewhere, socioeconomic status has
sy(.p^Z been shown to be related to cataract surgery rates.10
Ir Y\Q) To appropriately plan health care services, information is
ofs'xs1C needed about the prevalence of age-related cataract in the
G4\|bwh community as well as the factors associated with cataract
_9<Mo;C surgery. The purpose of this study is to quantify the prevalence
"EZpTy}Ee of any cataract in Australia, to describe the factors
4K|O?MUNS related to unoperated cataract in the community and to
`yC[Fn"E^ describe the visual outcomes of cataract surgery.
_Ec"[xW METHODS
_]L]_Bh Study population
Bc'Mj=>; Details about the study methodology for the Visual
+&<k}Mz Impairment Project have been published previously.11
<00=bZzX Briefly, cluster sampling within three strata was employed to
^Iqu ^n?2. recruit subjects aged 40 years and over to participate.
VKSn \HT~ Within the Melbourne Statistical Division, nine pairs of
>1` '5A}s census collector districts were randomly selected. Fourteen
z]2lT
IWg nursing homes within a 5 km radius of these nine test sites
Z=]ujlD were randomly chosen to recruit nursing home residents.
*aGJ$ P0 Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology (2000) 28, 77–82
lcVG<*gf- Original Article
~JP3C5q Operated and unoperated cataract in Australia
% pAbkb3m Catherine A McCarty PhD, MPH, Mukesh B Nanjan PhD, Hugh R Taylor MD
35:RsL Centre for Eye Research Australia, Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
U(%6ny n Correspondence: Dr Cathy McCarty MPH, Centre for Eye Research Australia, Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, 32 Gisborne Street, East Melbourne,
(B03f$8}*_ Victoria 3002, Australia. Email:
cathy@cera.unimelb.edu.au tqjjn5! 78 McCarty et al.
>4os%T Finally, four pairs of census collector districts in four rural
t[MM=6|Wb Victorian communities were randomly selected to recruit rural
bgkBgugZhX residents. A household census was conducted to identify
86a,J3C[ eligible residents aged 40 years and over who had been a
"Jdi>{o8 resident at that address for at least 6 months. At the time of
+{#Z^y6& the household census, basic information about age, sex,
n'%cO]nSx country of birth, language spoken at home, education, use of
PH'n`D# corrective spectacles and use of eye care services was collected.
?8;WP& Eligible residents were then invited to attend a local
Xe(]4Ux examination site for a more detailed interview and examination.
!_W']Crb]] The study protocol was approved by the Royal Victorian
yw1Xxwc Eye and Ear Hospital Human Research Ethics Committee.
EYi{~ Assessment of cataract
A$L:,b( A standardized ophthalmic examination was performed after
YdUcO.V pupil dilatation with one drop of 10% phenylephrine
E )2/Vn2 hydrochloride. Lens opacities were graded clinically at the
XinKG<3! time of the examination and subsequently from photos using
Pon0(:#1 the Wilmer cataract photo-grading system.12 Cortical and
yh).1Q-D
posterior subcapsular (PSC) opacities were assessed on
s!1/Bm|_T retroillumination and measured as the proportion (in 1/16)
muKu@nshL of pupil circumference occupied by opacity. For this analysis,
&v Q5+ cortical cataract was defined as 4/16 or greater opacity,
Ak$9\Sl PSC cataract was defined as opacity equal to or greater than
6="o&! 1 mm2 and nuclear cataract was defined as opacity equal to
NG
ZtlNvh or greater than Wilmer standard 2,12 independent of visual
RN;#H_
q acuity. Examples of the minimum opacities defined as cortical,
`>RM:!m6=$ nuclear and PSC cataract are presented in Figure 1.
NdRE,HWd?$ Bilateral congenital cataracts or cataracts secondary to
Ok}e|b[D intraocular inflammation or trauma were excluded from the
M. _5mZ{ analysis. Two cases of bilateral secondary cataract and eight
(&, E}{p9 cases of bilateral congenital cataract were excluded from the
R@`xS<`L/ analyses.
L3j
~O oo A Topcon® SL5 photo slit-lamp (Topcon America Corp.,
dkSd
Y+Q Paramus, NJ, USA) with a 0.1 mm slit beam of 9.0 mm in
Zjs,R{ height set to an incident angle of 30° was used for examinations.
n*G!=lMji Ektachrome® 200 ASA colour slide film (Eastman
{7v|\6@e3 Kodak Company, Rochester, NY, USA) was used to photograph
jP<6Q|5F the nuclear opacities. The cortical opacities were
vY[u;VU photographed with an Oxford® retroillumination camera
)ub!
tm (Marcher Enterprises Ltd, Hereford, UK) and T-MAX® 400
5bol)Z9BO film (Eastman Kodak). Photographs were graded separately
]eTp?q%0 by two research assistants and discrepancies were adjudicated
R1.Y
x? by an independent reviewer. Any discrepancies
y;O
6q206 between the clinical grades and the photograph grades were
7JY9#+?p> resolved. Except in cases where photographs were missing,
+.$:ZzH# the photograph grades were used in the analyses. Photograph
DYew6B- grades were available for 4301 (84%) for cortical
F'_z$,X6 cataract, 4147 (81%) for nuclear cataract and 4303 (84%)
#X6=`Xe# for PSC cataract. Cataract status was classified according to
x26 sH5 the severity of the opacity in the worse eye.
Q1H.2JXr Assessment of risk factors
qzk]9`i1: A standardized questionnaire was used to obtain information
dtXt
Z!g2 about education, employment and ethnic background.11
h^J :k Specific information was elicited on the occurrence, duration
h5^We"}+ and treatment of a number of medical conditions,
%,d+jBM including ocular trauma, arthritis, diabetes, gout, hypertension
ubsx NCqD and mental illness. Information about the use, dose and
TdoH((nY duration of tobacco, alcohol, analgesics and steriods were
5+)_d%v=6! collected, and a food frequency questionnaire was used to
QKoJxjR=^ determine current consumption of dietary sources of antioxidants
rPHM_fW(O@ and use of vitamin supplements.
[c99m:*+ Data management and statistical analysis
\o
w(4O# Data were collected either by direct computer entry with a
yT(86#st questionnaire programmed in Paradox© (Carel Corporation,
HaOSFltf# Ottawa, Canada) with internal consistency checks, or
ork{a.1-_w on self-coding forms. Open-ended responses were coded at
**ls 4CE< a later time. Data that were entered on the self-coded forms
I*(7(>zgyv were entered into a computer with double data entry and
nYK!'x$ reconciliation of any inconsistencies. Data range and consistency
4 @9cO)m checks were performed on the entire data set.
g#5t8w SAS© version 6.1 (SAS Institute, Cary, North Carolina) was
BkDq9>
employed for statistical analyses.
R7x*/? Ninety-five per cent confidence limits around the agespecific
Ft>, rates were calculated according to Cochran13 to
?;go5f+X account for the effect of the cluster sampling. Ninety-five
sWgzHj(c per cent confidence limits around age-standardized rates
ay28%[Q b4 were calculated according to Breslow and Day.14 The strataspecific
1oG'm data were weighted according to the 1996
w1= f\ Australian Bureau of Statistics census data15 to reflect the
"%=K_WJ? cataract prevalence in the entire Victorian population.
yLt>OA<X Univariate analyses with Student’s t-tests and chi-squared
b28C( tests were first employed to evaluate risk factors for unoperated
[wUJ~~2# cataract. Any factors with P < 0.10 were then fitted
@h7
i;Ok into a backwards stepwise logistic regression model. For the
m9aP]I3g]\ Figure 1. Minimum levels of cortical (a), nuclear (b), and posterior subcapsular (c) cataract.
S,C/l1s final multivariate models, P < 0.05 was considered statistically
kgRgHkAH~ significant. Design effect was assessed through the use
Ak2Vf0E b of cluster-specific models and multivariate models. The
&F +hh{ design effect was assumed to be additive and an adjustment
"ScY
'< made in the variance by adding the variance associated with
SJ:Wr{ Or3 the design effect prior to constructing the 95% confidence
~
G~:R limits.
|C\XU5} RESULTS
XN'<H(G Study population
5U/C
0{6 A total of 3271 (83%) of the Melbourne residents, 403
_ud
!:q (90%) Melbourne nursing home residents, and 1473 (92%)
/f,*| rural residents participated. In general, non-participants did
HQ3kxOT not differ from participants.16 The study population was
Uj~
:|?Wz representative of the Victorian population and Australia as
rh(77x1|(G a whole.
AW`+lE'? The Melbourne residents ranged in age from 40 to
xA"7a 98 years (mean = 59) and 1511 (46%) were male. The
M'ZA(LVp Melbourne nursing home residents ranged in age from 46 to
|'12Kv]#Xa 101 years (mean = 82) and 85 (21%) were men. The rural
Dad*6;+N residents ranged in age from 40 to 103 years (mean = 60)
ILXV yU and 701 (47.5%) were men.
1V 2"sE Prevalence of cataract and prior cataract surgery
pkEqd"G As would be expected, the rate of any cataract increases
%%k`+nK~ dramatically with age (Table 1). The weighted rate of any
lnRbvulH cataract in Victoria was 21.5% (95% CL 18.1, 24.9).
LXcH<) Although the rates varied somewhat between the three
q|ww fPez7 strata, they were not significantly different as the 95% confidence
)I9W a*
I limits overlapped. The per cent of cataractous eyes
s4Z5t$0| with best-corrected visual acuity of less than 6/12 was 12.5%
a$'=a09 (65/520) for cortical cataract, 18% for nuclear cataract
M}tr*L (97/534) and 14.4% (27/187) for PSC cataract. Cataract
L&SlUXyt.c surgery also rose dramatically with age. The overall
:g=z}7!s weighted rate of prior cataract surgery in Victoria was
E;^~} 3.79% (95% CL 2.97, 4.60) (Table 2).
tV,Y38e Risk factors for unoperated cataract
!&OybjQ Cases of cataract that had not been removed were classified
9hIcnPu
as unoperated cataract. Risk factor analyses for unoperated
QC*>
qo cataract were not performed with the nursing home residents
.ahYjn as information about risk factor exposure was not
wWR9dsB.; available for this cohort. The following factors were assessed
Jd>"g9 in relation to unoperated cataract: age, sex, residence
IT_Fs|$ (urban/rural), language spoken at home (a measure of ethnic
!mLYW integration), country of birth, parents’ country of birth (a
}2eP~3 measure of ethnicity), years since migration, education, use
L5tSS= of ophthalmic services, use of optometric services, private
e8"?Qm7 J health insurance status, duration of distance glasses use,
71ctjU`U2 glaucoma, age-related maculopathy and employment status.
}
+
8w In this cross sectional study it was not possible to assess the
%2)'dtPD~ level of visual acuity that would predict a patient’s having
3G7Qo cataract surgery, as visual acuity data prior to cataract
J`8bh~7 surgery were not available.
w1+xlM,,9 The significant risk factors for unoperated cataract in univariate
\Q+<G-Kb. analyses were related to: whether a participant had
oX9rpTi ever seen an optometrist, seen an ophthalmologist or been
Z?^~f}+ diagnosed with glaucoma; and participants’ employment
Qr4c':8 status (currently employed) and age. These significant
OBCRZ factors were placed in a backwards stepwise logistic regression
M"eiKX model. The factors that remained significantly related
Nn],sEs to unoperated cataract were whether participants had ever
$6a55~h|( seen an ophthalmologist, seen an optometrist and been
eVZ/3o diagnosed with glaucoma. None of the demographic factors
\i-HECc"U were associated with unoperated cataract in the multivariate
6jiz$x
model.
B|-E3v:f4 The per cent of participants with unoperated cataract
Ub8|x]ix who said that they were dissatisfied or very dissatisfied with
4{d!}R Operated and unoperated cataract in Australia 79
`4&
GumG Table 1. Prevalence of any cataracta (excluding previous cataract surgery) by age, gender and cohort
V3'QA1$ Age group Sex Urban Rural Nursing home Weighted total
:6 ?&L (years) (%) (%) (%)
5__8+R 40–49 Male 2.56 4.04 0.00 3.00 (1.91, 4.08)
7ZbnG@s7 Female 2.61 1.70 0.00 2.36 (1.61, 3.10)
T=|oZ 50–59 Male 7.69 6.94 0.00 7.47 (5.80, 9.15)
[WDtr8L Female 6.67 7.56 0.00 6.92 (5.60, 8.24)
5sD\4 g)HK 60–69 Male 20.7 25.0 10.0 22.0 (18.1, 26.0)
!biq7f%6# Female 27.9 35.7 37.5 30.3 (26.0, 34.7)
uX-]z3+ 70–79 Male 43.1 58.7 39.1 48.1 (41.2, 55.1)
e'I13)
Female 58.6 66.2 55.6 61.0 (56.0, 65.9)
2G'Au} q0n 80–89 Male 74.0 89.3 92.0 79.3 (72.3, 86.3)
aO9a G*9T Female 91.9 97.0 80.2 92.6 (86.4, 98.8)
*7'}"@@ 90 + Male 100.0 100.0 75.0 98.8 (96.2, 100.0)
1k2+eI Female 100.0 100.0 93.8 98.6 (97.0, 100.0)
kETu@la} Age-standardized
]g
jhrD (95% CL) Combined 19.7 (16.3, 23.1) 23.2 (16.1, 30.2) 16.5 (2.06, 30.9) 21.5 (18.1, 25.0)
XY]|OZ7( aCortical > 4/16, nuclear > standard 2, posterior subcapsular > 1 mm2
"=0#pH1o their current vision was 30% (290/683), compared with 27%
n%lY7.z8d (26/95) of participants with prior cataract surgery (chisquared,
tl |Qw";I 1 d.f. = 0.25, P = 0.62).
N'nI
^= Outcomes of cataract surgery
Fh u(u Two hundred and forty-nine eyes had undergone prior
LEoL6ga cataract surgery. Of these 249 operated eyes, 49 (20%) were
H]5%"(h left aphakic, 6 (2.4%) had anterior chamber intraocular
u:r'jb~@ lenses and 194 (78%) had posterior chamber intraocular
x
j6-~< lenses. The rate of capsulotomy in the eyes with intact
Omkl|l9 posterior capsules was 36% (73/202). Fifteen per cent of
/
lh3.\| eyes (17/114) with a clear posterior capsule had bestcorrected
{umdW
x.* visual acuity of less than 6/12 compared with 43%
okx~F9 of eyes (6/14) with opaque capsules, and 15% of eyes
hX\z93an (11/73) with prior capsulotomies (chi-squared, 2 d.f. = 7.21,
fS50 P = 0.027).
irSdqa/ The percentage of eyes with best-corrected visual acuity
Gma)8X# of 6/12 or better was 96% (302/314) for eyes without
]2kgG*^n" cataract, 88% (1417/1609) for eyes with prevalent cataract
*Z"9Q X and 85% (211/249) for eyes with operated cataract (chisquared,
P!qU8AJkt 2 d.f. = 22.3), P < 0.001). Twenty-seven of the
rWKc,A[ operated eyes (11%) had visual acuities of less than 6/18
ngM>Tzirt (moderate vision impairment) (Fig. 2). A cause of this
V
QE *B moderate visual impairment (but not the only cause) in four
-`FPR4; (15%) eyes was secondary to cataract surgery. Three of these
3dG[dYj four eyes had undergone intracapsular cataract extraction
~W'>L++ and the fourth eye had an opaque posterior capsule. No one
juPW!u had bilateral vision impairment as a result of their cataract
H~1&hF"d surgery.
r'7>J:cy= DISCUSSION
$
BV4 i$ To our knowledge, this is the first paper to systematically
z-*/jFE assess the prevalence of current cataract, previous cataract
B`,4M& surgery, predictors of unoperated cataract and the outcomes
.b*%c?e of cataract surgery in a population-based sample. The Visual
N:Yjz^Jt Impairment Project is unique in that the sampling frame and
4:A
dn?" high response rate have ensured that the study population is
t(FIBf3 representative of Australians aged 40 years and over. Therefore,
&UtsI@Mu these data can be used to plan age-related cataract
1Wzm51RU services throughout Australia.
D_fgxl We found the rate of any cataract in those over the age
y'ULhDgq^B of 40 years to be 22%. Although relatively high, this rate is
j}NGyS" = significantly less than was reported in a number of previous
Z'EXq.hk studies,2,4,6 with the exception of the Casteldaccia Eye
iXpLcHi Study.5 However, it is difficult to compare rates of cataract
A;E7~qOG between studies because of different methodologies and
P+r-t8 cataract definitions employed in the various studies, as well
Y <;A989D as the different age structures of the study populations.
).HYW _Yih Other studies have used less conservative definitions of
5(kRFb'31F cataract, thus leading to higher rates of cataract as defined.
`4E6&&E+S In most large epidemiologic studies of cataract, visual acuity
};%l <Ui; has not been included in the definition of cataract.
G%N3h'zDi Therefore, the prevalence of cataract may not reflect the
jFYv4!\ju actual need for cataract surgery in the community.
#?h#R5:0 80 McCarty et al.
}lzUl mRTe Table 2. Prevalence of previous cataract by age, gender and cohort
K1c@]]y) Age group Gender Urban Rural Nursing home Weighted total
@m14x}H (years) (%) (%) (%)
"Xq.b"N{* 40–49 Male 1.14 0.00 0.00 0.80 (0.00, 1.81)
:n36}VG| Female 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 (
&y-(UOqbkP 50–59 Male 0.68 0.58 0.00 0.65 (0.13, 1.17)
J A'C\ Female 0.57 0.00 0.00 0.41 (0.00, 1.00)
xf/
SUO
F 60–69 Male 2.12 7.59 0.00 3.80 (1.41, 6.19)
; n tq% Female 2.11 3.51 0.00 2.54 (1.81, 3.26)
ZujPk- 70–79 Male 8.22 9.85 8.70 8.75 (6.38, 11.1)
nRKh|B) Female 7.21 7.86 7.02 7.41 (5.36, 9.46)
&_cMbFLBP 80–89 Male 25.0 30.0 14.3 26.2 (17.0, 35.4)
!9+xKr99 Female 27.9 25.6 18.3 26.7 (20.2, 33.3)
QAiont ,! 90 + Male 0.00 16.7 66.7 9.19 (0.00, 21.5)
-:w+`x?XaB Female 58.3 100.0 26.9 63.1 (44.4, 81.8)
fN4d^0& Age-standardized
"W:#4@
F (95% CL) Combined 3.31 (2.70, 3.93) 4.36 (2.67, 6.06) 2.26 (0.82, 3.70) 3.79 (2.97, 4.60)
+c@s
Figure 2. Visual acuity in eyes that had undergone cataract
t)Q6A@$: surgery, n = 249. h, Presenting; j, best-corrected.
jr$]kLY Operated and unoperated cataract in Australia 81
8P8@i+[]W The weighted prevalence of prior cataract surgery in the
9/N=7<
$ Visual Impairment Project (3.6%) was similar to the crude
~4HS
2\ rate in the Beaver Dam Eye Study4 (3.1%), but less than the
P[NAO>&t