Cataract is the leading cause of blindness globally and surgery is the only known measure to deal with it effectively. Providing high quality cataract surgical services is critical if patients with cataract are to have their sight restored. A key focus of surgery is the outcome of the procedure. In cataract surgery this is measured predominantly, using visual acuity. Population- and hospital-based studies have revealed that the visual outcome of cataract surgery in many low and middle income settings is frequently sub-optimal, often failing to reach the recommended standards set by the World Health Organization (WHO). Another way of measuring outcome of cataract surgery is to ask patients for their views on whether surgery has changed the functioning of their eyes and their quality of life. There are different tools available to capture patient views and now, these patient-reported outcomes are becoming more widely used. This paper discusses the visual outcome of cataract surgery and frames the outcome of surgery within the context of the surgical service, suggesting that the process and outcome of care cannot be separated. It also discusses the components of patient-reported outcome tools and describes some available tools in more detail. Finally, it describes a hierarchy of challenges that need to be addressed before a high quality cataract surgical service can be achieved.

Aim. To report the case of congenital bilateral upper eyelid eversion with severe chemosis that was successfully managed conservatively. Report. The patient was a six-hour-old male neonate with bilateral congenital upper eyelid eversion and severe chemosis, following uneventful delivery. Conservative management consisted of the application of antibiotic ointment and padding the exposed conjunctiva with 5% hypertonic saline-soaked gauze. The eyelids reverted spontaneously on day 3 and the condition was completely resolved by the third week. Conclusion. Congenital upper lid eversion is usually a benign condition which responds well to conservative treatment. Creating awareness amongst healthcare professionals is essential.

Compared to Europe, glaucoma prevalence appears to be nearly an order of magnitude higher in this rural African population.

Purpose:A pilot investigation to transfer the established corneal collagen crosslinking (CXL) procedure in European eyes into clinically affected African eyes and to optimize the treatment by adapting the riboflavin composition.Materials and Methods:CXL was performed in 15 eyes (11 patients) with advanced stages of keratoconus in the Eye Clinic of Bafoussam in the West Region of Cameroon. The following six riboflavin compositions with different portions of active swelling additives were applied: Solution 1 (0.5% methylhydroxypropylcellulose [MHPC]), solution 2 (1.0% MHPC), solution 3 (1.7% MHPC), solution 4 (5% dextran), solution 5 (10% dextran) and solution 6 (no active swelling ingredient). The central corneal thickness (CCT) was measured by ultrasound pachymetry before and after de-epithelialization and at least every 10 min during CXL.Results:The application of the riboflavin solutions resulted in the following mean final CCT values: 172 ± 15% using solution 1 (60 min/n = 5); 183 ± 8% using solution 2 (60 min/n = 5); 170% using solution 3 (60 min/n = 1); 80% using solution 4 (45 min/n = 1); 99% using solution 5 (45 min/n = 1) and 150 ± 13% using solution 6 (50 min/n = 2).Conclusions:The combination of riboflavin compositions with swelling and stabilizing effects on the corneal stroma seems necessary in African eyes with advanced keratoconus. Further studies are required to confirm these primary results.