Cost-effectiveness of cataract surgery in a public health eye care programme in Nepal

Presented is an assessment of the cost-effectiveness of cataract surgery using cost and services data from the Lumbini Zonal Eye Care Programme in Nepal. The analysis suggests that cataract surgery may be even more cost-effective than previously reported. Under a "best estimate" scenario, cataract surgery had a cost of US$5.06 per disability-adjusted life year (DALY). This places it among the most cost-effective of public health interventions. Sensitivity analysis indicates that cataract surgery remains highly cost-effective even under a very pessimistic set of assumptions. The estimated mortality rates of those who receive surgery and of those who do not are among the variables that most influence the cost per DALY.