title: The scope of the cataract problem in the Middle East and the Mediterranean.
abstract: The region is characterized by diversity in cultural, political, economic and health conditions. Blindness in the region varies from 6.4% to 0.2% with cataract ranking highly as an underlying cause. There is a need to develop national policies to deliver affordable, technically suitable, and cost effective management plans to reduce cataract. Economic, demographic, health, and manpower statistics are essential information to be considered in formulating such policies.
authors.affiliation: King Khaled Eye Specialist Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: I A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Badr
mesh_terms: D001766:Blindness / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D002386:Cataract / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003710:Demography; D004467:Economics; D005102:Health Expenditures; D006280:Health Workforce; D006801:Humans; D008521:Mediterranean Islands / Q000453:epidemiology; D008877:Middle East / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence