ABSTRACT
j+B+>r^ Purpose: To quantify the prevalence of cataract, the outcomes
gDY+'6m; of cataract surgery and the factors related to
G-5wv unoperated cataract in Australia.
\SA"DT Methods: Participants were recruited from the Visual
3I|&}+Z6 Impairment Project: a cluster, stratified sample of more than
)TYrb:M'm 5000 Victorians aged 40 years and over. At examination
Ww(($e! sites interviews, clinical examinations and lens photography
v4X\LsOP
were performed. Cataract was defined in participants who
.QwwGm had: had previous cataract surgery, cortical cataract greater
*{3&?pxx than 4/16, nuclear greater than Wilmer standard 2, or
] qT\z<} posterior subcapsular greater than 1 mm2.
WD"3W)! Results: The participant group comprised 3271 Melbourne
41\r7
BS residents, 403 Melbourne nursing home residents and 1473
#g)$m}tv? rural residents.The weighted rate of any cataract in Victoria
[A@K)A$f was 21.5%. The overall weighted rate of prior cataract
)(&Z&2~A surgery was 3.79%. Two hundred and forty-nine eyes had
a[Q\8< had prior cataract surgery. Of these 249 procedures, 49
gEWKM(5B} (20%) were aphakic, 6 (2.4%) had anterior chamber
- v\n0Jt intraocular lenses and 194 (78%) had posterior chamber
Mi|PhDXMh intraocular lenses.Two hundred and eleven of these operated
N$Pi4 eyes (85%) had best-corrected visual acuity of 6/12 or
O
a[G
# better, the legal requirement for a driver’s license.Twentyseven
wi{qN___ (11%) had visual acuity of less than 6/18 (moderate
ze%kP#c6!
vision impairment). Complications of cataract surgery
#LP38wE caused reduced vision in four of the 27 eyes (15%), or 1.9%
3*N-@;[>b of operated eyes. Three of these four eyes had undergone
fn6;
intracapsular cataract extraction and the fourth eye had an
wHGiN9A+ opaque posterior capsule. No one had bilateral vision
BvXA9YQ3 impairment as a result of cataract surgery. Surprisingly, no
fSe$w#*I particular demographic factors (such as age, gender, rural
p i;,?p- residence, occupation, employment status, health insurance
j
3<|X status, ethnicity) were related to the presence of unoperated
cba cataract.
7d44i Conclusions: Although the overall prevalence of cataract is
gBF2.{"^ quite high, no particular subgroup is systematically underserviced
v()
wngn in terms of cataract surgery. Overall, the results of
.XD.'S cataract surgery are very good, with the majority of eyes
\v7->Sy8 achieving driving vision following cataract extraction.
6 WD( Key words: cataract extraction, health planning, health
rQ_!/J[9 services accessibility, prevalence
1qEpQ.:]( INTRODUCTION
9Ai e$= Cataract is the leading cause of blindness worldwide and, in
}8H_^G8 Australia, cataract extractions account for the majority of all
n^H Kf^] ophthalmic procedures.1 Over the period 1985–94, the rate
a>3#z2# of cataract surgery in Australia was twice as high as would be
m|:O:< expected from the growth in the elderly population.1
0^5*@vt Although there have been a number of studies reporting
(qf%,F,_L the prevalence of cataract in various populations,2–6 there is
Gxtqzr* little information about determinants of cataract surgery in
*bi!iz5F the population. A previous survey of Australian ophthalmologists
B=4xZJPy showed that patient concern and lifestyle, rather
QYm]&;EI than visual acuity itself, are the primary factors for referral
:\]TAQd- for cataract surgery.7 This supports prior research which has
+3;`4bW shown that visual acuity is not a strong predictor of need for
|OgtAI9 cataract surgery.8,9 Elsewhere, socioeconomic status has
*,hg+?lZ been shown to be related to cataract surgery rates.10
\Zpg,KOT To appropriately plan health care services, information is
0
`Yg needed about the prevalence of age-related cataract in the
Thlqe? community as well as the factors associated with cataract
S:.Vt&+NJ surgery. The purpose of this study is to quantify the prevalence
-&AgjzN! of any cataract in Australia, to describe the factors
!Z
r 9t|_ related to unoperated cataract in the community and to
m1d*Lt>F@ describe the visual outcomes of cataract surgery.
"[Z'n9C METHODS
e-4 Qw#cw Study population
|8DMj s()* Details about the study methodology for the Visual
z 1~2w: Impairment Project have been published previously.11
T@Q,1^?i Briefly, cluster sampling within three strata was employed to
*$+:Cbe-F recruit subjects aged 40 years and over to participate.
;J]Lzh Within the Melbourne Statistical Division, nine pairs of
Vr|sRvz census collector districts were randomly selected. Fourteen
HVG:q#=C nursing homes within a 5 km radius of these nine test sites
>EVY, were randomly chosen to recruit nursing home residents.
['`Vg=O.{ Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology (2000) 28, 77–82
>j%4U* Original Article
KF.d: Operated and unoperated cataract in Australia
y)Y0SY1\j Catherine A McCarty PhD, MPH, Mukesh B Nanjan PhD, Hugh R Taylor MD
::&hfHR*P Centre for Eye Research Australia, Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
(8XP7c]5 n Correspondence: Dr Cathy McCarty MPH, Centre for Eye Research Australia, Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, 32 Gisborne Street, East Melbourne,
U?WS\Jji3! Victoria 3002, Australia. Email:
cathy@cera.unimelb.edu.au t,v=~LE 78 McCarty et al.
UA%tI2 Finally, four pairs of census collector districts in four rural
3|Vh[iAa\ Victorian communities were randomly selected to recruit rural
Z%_m<Nf8T residents. A household census was conducted to identify
V1d{E 0lM eligible residents aged 40 years and over who had been a
I<&(Dg|XQ resident at that address for at least 6 months. At the time of
ws_/F the household census, basic information about age, sex,
x&['g*[L0 country of birth, language spoken at home, education, use of
"QV?C corrective spectacles and use of eye care services was collected.
+{7/+Zz Eligible residents were then invited to attend a local
S0zk<