Eye health outreach services in the Pacific Islands region: an updated profile

Anecdotal reports indicate a decreasing number of patients presenting for assessment, and in particular a reduction in the number of patients requiring cataract surgery in Pacific Island Countries (PICs). Furthermore, research and routine surveillance is uncommon.

To analyse and describe the records of eye health outreach clinics from a single provider in seven Pacific Islands.

Routine data collected at the Fred Hollows Foundation eye health outreach clinics in Fiji, Kiribati, Papua New Guinea (PNG), Samoa, the Solomon Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu between 2009 and 2013 were analysed.

Over the study period the number of patients treated per clinic fell in Fiji, Samoa and the Solomon Islands. Data from PNG show a higher mean number of patients per clinic and the numbers of patients presenting at PNG outreach clinics appears to be increasing. Cataract was the main eye health condition for between 40%-70% of visits overall, but this range varied between 14% (PNG) and 94% (Fiji). In all countries, males were more likely to receive cataract surgery than females. Refractive error was the most common presenting complaint at PNG outreach clinics; diabetic retinopathy was most common in Tonga. Cases of trachoma or trichiasis were identified in all countries, excepting Kiribati, Samoa and Tonga.

Data from outreach eye health clinics show marked differences between PICs in the most common presenting conditions. In three countries, it appears there has recently been a reduction in the overall number of patients presenting for treatment. Cautious interpretation of the data is required due to concern about data completeness and quality.