Chinese Medical Sciences Journal ›› 2015, Vol. 30 ›› Issue (1): 1-6.doi: 10.1016/S1001-9294(15)30001-8

• ORIGINAL ARTICLE •     Next Articles

Use of Cataract Surgery in Urban Beijing: a Post Screening Follow-up of the Elderly with Visual Impairment due to Age-related Cataract

Xue-tao Ren1, 2, Torkel Snellingen1, Hong Gu3, Sawitri Assanangkornchai2, Yan-hong Zou4, Virasakdi Chongsuvivatwong2, Apiradee Lim5, Wei Jia1, Xi-pu Liu1, 4, Ning-pu Liu1, 3, *   

  1. 1 Sekwa Eye Hospital, Beijing 100088, China; 2 Epidemiology Unit, 5Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla 90110, Thailand; 3 Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Key Laboratory of Beijing Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Beijing 100730, China; 4 Department of Ophthalmology, First Hospital of Tsinghua University, Beijing 100016, China
  • Published:2015-04-02 Online:2015-04-02
  • Contact: *Corresponding author Tel: 86-10-58269821, Fax: 86-10-62033293, E-mail: nliu001@gmail.com

Objective To understand the perception for the use of cataract surgical services in a population of acceptors and non-acceptors of cataract surgery in urban Beijing.
Methods From a community-based screening program a total of 158 patients with presenting visual acuity of less than 6/18 on either eye due to age-related cataract were informed about the possibility of surgical treatment. These patients were interviewed and re-examined 36 to 46 months after initial screening. The main reasons for not accepting surgery were obtained using a questionnaire. Vision function and vision-related quality of life scores were assessed in those who received and did not receive surgery.
Results At the follow-up examination 116 of the 158 patients were available and 36 (31.0%) had undergone cataract surgery. Cases who chose surgery had higher education level than those who did not seek surgery (OR=2.64, 95% CI: 1.08-6.63, P=0.02). There were no significant differences in vision function (P=0.11) or quality of life scores (P=0.16) between the surgery group and the non-surgery group. Main reasons for not having surgery included no perceived need (50.0%), feeling of being “too old” (19.2%), and worry about the quality of surgery (9.6%). Cost was cited by 1 (1.9%) subject as the main reason for not seeking surgery.
Conclusions The data suggest that in China’s capital urban center for patients with moderate visual impairment there is a relative low acceptance rate of cataract surgery, mainly due to people’s perception of marginal benefits of surgery. Cost is not a determining factor as barrier to undergo surgery and patients with poorer education are less likely to undertake surgery.

Key words: cataract surgery, utilization, urban Beijing

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