[Coverage on cataract surgery among adults aged 40 or above in a multiethnic rural district of high altitude area in Gongshan county, Yunnan province, China].
OBJECTIVE
To estimate the prevalence of cataract and its surgical coverage rate together with the burden related to bilateral cataract-blindness, among adults aged 40 or above in Gongshan county of Yunnan province and to evaluate the current cataract status and the efficacy of local cataract prevention program.


METHODS
Cluster sampling was used. The protocol consisted of personal interview, pilot study, visual acuity checking, measuring the intraocular pressure; slit lamp microscopy and the fundus of the eye examination etc. Cataract was graded clinically using the Lens Opacity Classification System (LOCS) III. Bilateral cataract-blindness burden, bilateral cataract-blindness burden and cataract surgical coverage rate were calculated respectively, using two different criteria. Odds ratios (OR) were compared among different groups regarding age, gender, education, ethnic group and altitude of living area.


RESULTS
Among the 1236 eligible residents, 1116 (90.3%) were enrolled in the present study. The prevalence of cataract was 23.8% among adults aged 40 or order. When the bilateral best refractive vision<3/60 was defined as the blindness criterion, the bilateral cataract-blindness burden showed as 1.3%, and cataract blindness surgical coverage rate was 50.0%. When the bilateral presenting vision<6/60 was defined as the blindness criterion, the bilateral cataract-blindness burden was 25.0%, and cataract blindness surgical coverage rate was 12.9%. The cataract surgical coverage rates were much lower and the bilateral cataract-blindness burden much higher in women, illiterates, living in high altitude areas and those who were aged 70 or above.


CONCLUSIONS
Cataract blindness was a serious public health problem in aged individuals and illiteracy in the residents of the studied areas. Poor prevention programs on cataract called for urgent action to be taken.
Eye Center of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300384, China.
Wen-jie
WJ
Liu
Ju-ping
JP
Liu
Xiao-rong
XR
Li
Shao-zhen
SZ
Zhao
Rui-hua
RH
Wei
Tie-cheng
TC
Wang
Ning
N
Hua
Xiao-yun
XY
Zhao
Xin-jun
XJ
Ren
Juan
J
Liang
Yuan-yuan
YY
Zou
Ying
Y
Li
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000531:Altitude; D002386:Cataract / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002387:Cataract Extraction; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012424:Rural Population