[Sumbawanga eye camp follow-up study 2019]

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Global Health
• Public Health

Background:

• The German Commission for the Prevention of Blindness (DKVB) conducted an eye camp in Sumbawanga, Tanzania, in 2019.
• Manual small incision cataract surgery (MSICS) was performed on patients with mature cataracts.
• This initiative marked the first time the quality of cataract surgery outcomes was assessed in this camp.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present the quality of cataract operations performed during the eye camp.
• To assess the surgical outcomes against the established guidelines of the World Health Organization (WHO).

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 42 patients who underwent cataract surgery in the first week were examined in the second week.
• Assessment included visual acuity, refraction, slit lamp microscopy, and postoperative complications.
• Results were retrospectively evaluated and compared with WHO guidelines.

Main Results:

• Median postoperative visual acuity was 0.26, with a spherical equivalent of -2.82 dpt and astigmatism of -2.2 dpt at axis 113°.
• Only 14.2% achieved visual acuity >0.3 (WHO target: 80%), while 62% had vision between 0.1-0.3 (WHO target: 15%) and 23.8% had vision <0.1 (WHO target: 5%).
• Prolonged healing and intraocular irritation were observed in 29% of cases.

Conclusions:

• Despite vision improvement, outcomes did not meet WHO guidelines, indicating a need for quality improvement.
• Postoperative refractive errors included myopic shift and significant astigmatism.
• Factors contributing to suboptimal results include ocular comorbidities, limited resources, staff training, challenging conditions, and advanced cataract stages.