Purpose: We examined the safety and efficacy of cataract surgery and postoperative management in our hospital and at the homes of the patients who live on medically underserved remote.
Patients and methods: A total of 27 patients (54 eyes), who were followed in our hospital or at their homes were enrolled in this study. Cataract surgery was performed on them between January 2009 and January 2010 and we could follow up six months postoperatively. We divided these patients into two groups:group I (GI) consisted of 13 patients who could come to our hospital regularly during both preoperative and postoperative periods, and group II (GII) consisted of 14 patients who could not come to our hospital regularly during either preoperative or postoperative periods. Cataract surgeries were performed on all the patients in GI and GII in our hospital. The patients in GI were hospitalized for three days and those in GII were for seven days. After cataract surgery, the patients in GI had their eyes checked regularly in our hospital and those in GII were in their homes where the doctor visited. Postoperative ophthalmic clinical tests were conducted to examine visual acuity, intraocular pressure and fundus.
Results: GI comprised three males and 10 females. Their age averaged 79.3. GII comprised four males and 10 females. Their age averaged 82.6. Preoperative ophthalmic examinations found that preoperative average visual acuity (LogMAR and decimal visual acuity in parentheses) and spherical equivalent in GI and GII were 0.69 (0.41), 0.80 (0.33) and -0.43 dioptors, -0.42 dioptors respectively, showing no significant differences between the two groups. Postoperative ophthalmic examinations found that, best corrected visual acuity (LogMAR) was significantly increased to 0.36 (0.66) and 0.44 (0.53) in GI and GII respectively, showing no significant differences either.
Conclusions: We concluded that we could get safe and efficient cataract surgery and postoperative management combined with prolonged hospitalization and house calls on the patients who live in the isolated islands.

Introduction  The number of foreign residents in Japan reached a record high in 2023 and is still increasing. Many foreign residents are in their 20s and 30s and of reproductive age. The study aim was to clarify the present nursing practices and challenges for foreign pregnant and postpartum women at perinatal medical centers in Osaka, which contains many foreign residents.Methods  A self-administered questionnaire survey was conducted from October 1 to December 31, 2023. Questionnaires were sent to one representative of the obstetrics departments of 23 perinatal medical centers in Osaka that agreed to participate in the study.Results  A total of eight facilities (34.8%) returned questionnaires. Regarding the current status of nursing care for foreign pregnant and postpartum women, medical interpreters were frequently used during pregnancy to explain about abnormalities and precautions (87.5%); during delivery to explain about emergency cesarean section (62.5%); and during the postpartum/newborn period to explain about maternal abnormalities and precautions after delivery and discharge (75.0%) and about neonatal abnormalities and precautions after discharge (75.0%). Interpreters such as family members and friends were most frequently used during hospitalization for delivery (87.5%). More than half of facilities used various types of multilingual materials, such as cards with explanatory illustrations, communication cards, and childcare support information.Conclusions  Family and friends helped women to interpret medical information, and telephone interpretation and multilingual translation equipment were also used. Various multilingual materials were used to address linguistic issues, and cultural and religious considerations were implemented at all facilities. However, there is a lack of medical interpreters, particularly during the delivery period, and free multilingual resources are not being fully used.