Blindness, cataract surgery and mortality in Ethiopia

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Public Health
• Geriatrics

Background:

• Blindness due to cataracts is a significant public health issue in rural Ethiopia.
• Cataract surgery is a cost-effective intervention for restoring vision.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between blindness, cataract surgery intervention, and all-cause mortality.
• To assess the impact of cataract surgery on mortality risk in a rural Ethiopian population.

Main Methods:

• A population-based, interventional prospective study was conducted in the Amhara region of Ethiopia.
• 1201 blind individuals were identified and categorized into cataract-blind (628) and non-cataract-blind (573).
• Consenting cataract-blind patients received free surgery, with all-cause mortality assessed at 1-year follow-up.

Main Results:

• Overall mortality was 9.2% (110 deaths) at 1 year.
• Cataract-blind patients over 75 years who did not receive surgery had significantly increased mortality odds.
• Unmarried patients of all age groups also showed elevated mortality risk.

Conclusions:

• Mortality risk is significantly higher in older, untreated cataract-blind individuals compared to non-cataract-blind individuals.
• Cataract surgery appears to mitigate this elevated mortality risk, even within a 1-year follow-up period.
• Timely cataract surgery is vital for improving survival outcomes in this population.