Age-related utilisation of cataract surgery in Sweden during 1992-1999. A retrospective study of cataract surgery rate in one-year age groups based on the Swedish National Cataract Register.
OBJECTIVE
To study the utilisation and increase of first eye cataract surgery in one-year age groups between 60 and 90 years of age during 1992-1999.


METHODS
Data was extracted from the National Swedish Cataract Register (NCR) that covers about 93.2% of all cataract extractions performed in Sweden during 1992-1999. The total number of living persons in each one-year age group was collected from the Year Book of Statistics in Sweden (1993-2000).


RESULTS
The number of cataract extractions in Sweden increased by 54.8% from 1992 to 1999. The rates of first eye cataract surgery in one-year age groups between 60 and 90 years of age were different for females and males and this difference did not change during a 37% increase of the surgery volume from 1992 to 1999. The rate of first eye cataract surgery increased significantly both for females (+29.4%) and males (+27.2%) during 1992 to 1999 in Sweden.


CONCLUSIONS
The rate of first eye cataract surgery increased significantly from 1992 to 1999 but the gender difference in age-related utilisation of surgery remained unchanged. The increase in rate was about the same in all age groups.
Lundström
M
M
Department of Ophthalmology, Blekinge Hospital, Karlskrona, Sweden.
Stenevi
U
U
Thorburn
W
W
D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging; D002387:Cataract Extraction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006296:Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006302:Health Services Research / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012042:Registries / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013548:Sweden