title: [Cataract as a leading cause of visual disability and blindness in the region of Eastern Sarajevo and Eastern Herzegovina].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cataract is the second leading cause of blindness and visual disability in the region of Eastern Herzegovina and Eastern Sarajevo. It is a curable and preventable cause of blindness, because visual function can be surgically recovered. The aim of our study was to determine the frequency of cataract among registered blind population.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used data stored in the Regional Association of Blind Persons from municipalities of Eastern Herzegovina (Trebinje, Bileća, Foca) and Eastern Sarajevo. In this population-based study data were analyzed using standard statistical methods. We have investigated sex and age distribution, visual acuity and type of cataract in the registered population. Among 298 registered blind persons and persons with visual disability, 17% are persons with cataract. Males are more frequent than women. Most people with cataract are older than 60 and are with age-related cataract.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Literature data show that cataract is one of the leading causes of blindness and visual disability in the world. Cataract is the second leading cause of visual disability and blindness in the registered population of Eastern Herzegovina. The total number of people with visual disability caused by cataract would decrease by increasing the number of surgeries, which correlates with improving the quality and training of ophthalmologists.
authors.affiliation: Klinicki centar, Istocno Sarajevo. lceklic@paleol.net
authors.forename: Lala
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ceklić
authors.forename: Slobodanka
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Latinović
authors.forename: Petar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Aleksić
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001766:Blindness / Q000209:etiology*; D017522:Bosnia and Herzegovina / Q000453:epidemiology; D002386:Cataract / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000209:etiology*