Cost-effectiveness of digital cataract assessment.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to compare costs of digital photograph grading with that of film-based, human grading of the lens in epidemiological studies involving cataract assessment.


METHODS
Cost-effectiveness was measured by establishing the number of participants with ungradeable images and incorporating these lost data into the overall cost per participant for each study.


RESULTS
The digital grading system cost was A$105000 with operating costs of $2.81 per participant, with 99.4% effectiveness. The film-based, human grading set-up costs were $43000 with operating costs of $18.49 per participant and 90% effectiveness. After examining 3500 people the use of the digital equipment becomes cost-beneficial.


CONCLUSIONS
The high costs of setting up a digital cataract grading system are offset by the low running costs, less ungradeable images and greater accuracy over the duration of a large scale ophthalmic epidemiological study.
Dimock
J
J
Centre for Eye Research Australia, The University of Melbourne, Victoria. joss@cera.unimelb.edu.au
Robman
L D
LD
McCarty
C A
CA
Taylor
H R
HR
D002386:Cataract / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D003936:Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted / Q000191:economics* / Q000592:standards; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006801:Humans; D010781:Photography