Rapid assessment of blindness situation and cataract surgical services in the community of Ha Nam province
- Author:
Nguyen Van Cuong
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Cataract;
Surgical services;
Blindness;
Community;
Assessment;
Ha Nam
- MeSH:
Blindness;
Cataract;
Surgery
- From:Journal of Medical Research
2005;38(5):84-89
- CountryViet Nam
- Language:Vietnamese
-
Abstract:
Blindness prevalence and its causes are necessary for planning of the Blindness Prevention activities. Objectives: to evaluate blindness prevalence and causes, the output and outcome of cataract surgical services in the community. Methods: Cross-sectional prescriptive study was conducted on 1,729 persons of 50 years old and over. Results: Bilateral blindness prevalence is 3.41%, monocular blindness prevalence is 7.63% in the group of 50 years old and over. Main causes of blindness are cataract (47.5%), pathology of posterior segment (22.0%), glaucoma (16.9%), trachoma (3.4%). Bilateral and monocular cataract-related blindness rates are 1.50% and 3.76%, respectively. Prevalence of TT in one eye is 4.22%, in both eyes is 2.66%, prevalence of Pterigyum in one eye is 19.56% and in both eyes is 7.99%. The bilateral aphakia rate is 1.39%, monocular aphakia rate is 2.37%. The cataract surgical coverages are 63.89% of patients and 43.20% of eyes. The successful surgical rate is 67.42%. Main barriers for cataract management service are poverty (23.1%), unawareness (18.2%), and no accompaniers (9.1%). Conclusions: Main cause of blindness in Hanam is still cataract. The CSSR is good but the successful surgical rate is not high. In the next 10 years promotion of cataract surgery output and surgical quality should be done in order to reduce blindness prevalence.
