The true cost of hidden waiting times for cataract surgery in Australia

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Public Health
• Health Economics

Background:

• Cataract surgery is a common elective procedure in Australia.
• Access to timely cataract care is inequitable.
• True waiting times are not consistently reported and have worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the impact of prolonged cataract surgery waiting times.
• To estimate the potential cost savings and health benefits of reducing waiting periods.

Main Methods:

• Comparative analysis of current waiting times versus reduced waiting times.
• Estimation of public health system cost savings.
• Calculation of prevented falls and vision impairment.

Main Results:

• Estimated true waiting times for cataract care range from 4 to 30 months.
• Reducing waiting times from 12 to 3 months could save the public health system an estimated $6.6 million.
• This reduction could prevent 50,679 falls.

Conclusions:

• Inequitable access to cataract surgery in Australia leads to significant delays.
• Investment in public cataract services is crucial to prevent avoidable vision impairment.
• Addressing unmet needs can yield substantial economic and public health benefits.