Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 21, 2026
Modeling Cataract Surgery in Mice
Published on: December 1, 2023
Outcome of cataract surgery in a remote community in northern British Columbia
Jean Y Chuo1, Sonia N Yeung, Simon Holland
1Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC.
Objective:
To examine the issues influencing the outcome of cataract surgeries performed by visiting surgeons in a remote region of British Columbia.
Design:
Retrospective series.
Participants:
We studied 198 patients who underwent cataract surgery in 2008 in a northern community (approximate area, 12 million hectares, population, 64,000).
Methods:
We retrospectively reviewed the 236 eyes of the participants. Outcomes include pre- and postoperative best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), complication rate, pre-existing ocular comorbidities, and follow-up rate.
Results:
Preoperative BCVA was 20/53. The postoperative BCVA was 20/27. The complication rate, defined as postoperative BCVA less than 20/40 not explained by ocular comorbidities or needing further postoperative treatment outside of the region, was 4%.
Conclusions:
Issues contributing to the higher complication rate may include lower follow-up rate due to lack of accessible ophthalmologic care, late presentation, and a long surgical waiting list.
