Cataract prevalence, cataract surgical coverage and its contribution to the reduction of visual disability in Oman

To estimate the magnitude and determinants of cataract prevalence and cataract surgical coverage and to evaluate their role in visual disability in Oman.

A cross-sectional study was conducted on 11,413 subjects in Oman in 1997. The presence and stage of cataract was noted on the basis of the history and an examination. The patient's phakic, pseudophakic or aphakic status and visual status were determined. The prevalence of cataract and the cataract surgical coverage were estimated. A causal relation was assumed between a backlog of cataract and age, gender and area of residence. The Attributable Risk (AR) and Population Attributable Risk (PAR) for these factors were estimated.

The prevalence of cataract was 29.3/1000 (95% CI: 27.76 to 30.84). This was 4.97/1000 (95% CI: 3.68 to 6.26) for blinding cataract (vision < 3/60). The cataract surgery services covered 70.18% (95% CI: 69.52 to 70.84) of the blinding cataracts and 28.76% (95% CI: 28.11 to 29.41) of all cataracts. The AR and PAR of female gender in the cataract backlog were 35.5% and 1.06%, respectively. The AR and PAR of the residents of 'Group B' regions were 40.5% and 1.26%, respectively. The AR and PAR of subjects "less than 60 years old' were 55.6% and 1.66%, respectively. If the gaps in cataract surgery due to gender, regions and age groups were to be filled, the prevalence of cataract could be reduced by 1.06%, 1.21% and 1.66%, respectively.

The health program should identify and address the barriers to cataract surgery among identified high-risk groups.