Eye health care in the Czech Republic.
OBJECTIVE
An analysis of eye health care in the Czech Republic as of 1998 was performed.


METHODS
A questionnaire was used to obtain information from all 59 in-patient eye departments.


RESULTS
The number of ophthalmologists per 1 million inhabitants was 95. The number of cataract operations per 1 million inhabitants was 4,209: phaco-emulsification (36,926 surgeries, 85.2%), extracapsular extraction (6,094 surgeries, 14.1%) and intracapsular extraction (90 surgeries, 0.2%). Intra-ocular lenses were implanted in 99% of cases; 404 corneal transplantations and 1,220 operations for retinal detachment were performed. The number of pars plana vitrectomies for diabetic eye complications was 661.


CONCLUSIONS
Selected regional clinical centres should be equipped and preferred by health insurance companies to provide comprehensive eye health care services and training.
Kocur
Ivo
I
Department of Ophthalmology, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic. ivokocur@ti.cz
Kuchynka
Pavel
P
D018153:Czech Republic; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D008511:Medicine; D009885:Ophthalmology / Q000193:education / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013038:Specialization