Eye healthcare services in eastern Europe: Part 2. Vitreoretinal surgical services.
OBJECTIVE
To describe vitreoretinal surgical services in 1998 in 12 eastern European countries and to identify ways for their further improvement.


METHODS
All inpatient eye departments in the 12 countries received a standardised questionnaire; the data obtained were processed at the international study coordinating centre in Prague.


RESULTS
All 458 eye departments in the region were involved. The number of retinal detachments treated by extraocular surgery, or pars plana vitrectomy, per one million inhabitants respectively, were as follows: Belarus (52; 6), Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (21; 2), Bulgaria (39; 19), the Czech Republic (78; 40), Estonia (60; 17), Hungary (81; 88), Latvia (82; 36), Lithuania (68; 6), Trans-Dniester Region of Moldova (6; -), Poland (70; data not available), Romania (24; 25), and Slovakia (67; 55). The number of people per one retinal laser was assessed (in millions): Belarus (1.26), Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (2.23), Bulgaria (0.59), the Czech Republic (0.22), Estonia (0.24), Hungary (0.23), Latvia (0.41), Lithuania (0.62), Poland (0.36), Romania (2.25), and Slovakia (0.14).


CONCLUSIONS
Conditions for posterior eye segment surgery in the central and eastern European region vary substantially. Underserved regions require (1) more eye doctors trained in surgical and laser retinal treatment; (2) improvement in screening for diabetic eye complications and retinopathy of prematurity; (3) technical equipment for places in need.
Charles University Eye Clinic, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic. ivokur@ti.cz
I
I
Kocur
S
S
Resnikoff
A
A
Foster
D000368:Aged; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D005061:Europe, Eastern; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006748:Hospital Departments / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008403:Mass Screening; D012163:Retinal Detachment / Q000601:surgery*; D012178:Retinopathy of Prematurity / Q000175:diagnosis; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014821:Vitrectomy / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data