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Blindness due to cataract: epidemiology and prevention
1Worthen Center For Eye Care Research, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20007, USA.
Annual Review of Public Health
|January 1, 1996
Summary
Cataract is a leading cause of blindness globally. While risk factors are known, only surgery effectively treats this condition, with this review examining prevalence, risk factors, and surgical outcomes worldwide.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Cataract is the primary cause of blindness worldwide, impacting 50% of cases.
- Current research identifies numerous risk factors but lacks primary prevention or medical treatments.
- Cataract surgery remains the sole effective therapeutic intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review global prevalence and incidence data for cataracts.
- To synthesize findings on identified cataract risk factors.
- To analyze health service utilization and outcomes of cataract surgery in diverse global settings.
Main Methods:
- Systematic literature review of epidemiological studies.
- Analysis of data on cataract prevalence and incidence.
- Synthesis of research on cataract risk factors.
- Review of studies on cataract surgery utilization and outcomes.
Main Results:
- Cataract prevalence and incidence vary significantly across different regions.
- Key risk factors identified include age, genetics, and environmental exposures.
- Health service utilization and surgical outcomes for cataract present disparities between developed and developing nations.
Conclusions:
- Cataract remains a major global health challenge, necessitating effective interventions.
- Understanding risk factors is crucial, but surgical intervention is currently the only definitive treatment.
- Addressing disparities in surgical access and outcomes is vital for reducing global blindness.