title: Cataract surgical rate in Iran: 2006 to 2010.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the cataract surgical rate (CSR) between 2006 and 2010 in Iran.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this cross-sectional study, sampling was done from surgical centers throughout Iran. Centers throughout all of Iran with more than 3000 surgeries per year were grouped as major centers and the rest were grouped as minor centers. All major centers and a percentage of minor centers were selected from each province. For each center, we determined the number of cataract surgeries in a random week of each season.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 237 eligible surgical centers, 124 were selected and 106 were enrolled in the study; 80 were major centers and 26 were minor centers. The number of surgeries has increased from 335,948 in 2006 to 475,526 in 2010. Cataract surgical rate has increased from 4723 (95% confidence interval, 4707 to 4739) per million population in 2006 to 6328 (95% confidence interval, 6309 to 6346) per million population in 2010. In the 50 and older population, CSR was 38,450 per million population in 2010. Average annual number of cataract surgeries per surgeon was 263 in 2006 and 339 in 2010.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Compared with previous studies, the 2006 to 2010 CSR in Iran is on an ascending trend. Also, our numbers are higher than the minimum recommended by the World Health Organization, although lower than that in Western countries. Considering the aging population of the country, the observed rate is not sufficient for all cases of cataract in the future, and there is a need to increase CSR throughout the nation.
authors.affiliation: *MD †MD, PhD ‡PhD §MD, MPH Noor Ophthalmology Research Center, Noor Eye Hospital, Tehran, Iran (HH, FR, SA, AM); Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran (AF); Department of Public Health and Biostatistics, Faculty of Health, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran (KE, HG, MK); and Department of Epidemiology, Faculty of Public Health, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran (MK).
authors.forename: Hassan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hashemi
authors.forename: Akbar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fotouhi
authors.forename: Farhad
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rezvan
authors.forename: Koroush
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Etemad
authors.forename: Hamidreza
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gilasi
authors.forename: Soheila
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Asgari
authors.forename: Alireza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mahdavi
authors.forename: Mehdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Khabazkhoob
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002386:Cataract / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002387:Cataract Extraction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017678:Sex Distribution