Outcome of Cataract Surgery at Secondary Eye Care Facility in Karachi

Abstract

Purpose: To find out visual outcome of cataract surgery at secondary eye care hospital in Karachi, Pakistan. Study Design: Surgical audit. Place and Duration of study: Al-Baseer Eye Hospital, Karachi from January 2019 to January 2021. Methods: A total of 1540 cataract surgeries were performed. Patients referred from distant eye camps (outside of city limits) were not included. Data collection was done using hospital medical records on patient’s age, sex, pre-operative best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), surgical complications, visual acuity(VA) at 1st post-operative day, 1, 3 and 4 – 16 post-operative weeks, BCVA at 4 – 16 post-operative weeks and causes of poor visual outcome (BCVA worse than 6/60) at 4 – 16 post–operative weeks. For data analysis, IBM SPSS Statistics 23 was used. Results: Out of 1540 cataract surgeries, 81% (1248) cases underwent phacoemulsification with intraocular lens implantation. Mean age at the time of surgery was 56.24 ± 11.45 years. Males were 54.9% (845) while 45.1% (695) were females. Rate of intraoperative complications was 0.9% (14 cases). Posterior capsule rupture occurred in 0.8% (13 cases), and zonular disinsertion in 0.1% (1 case). At 4 – 16 weeks post-operatively, follow–up rate was 53.8% (828 patients); and the percentages of patients with good, borderline and poor BCVA were 94.7% (784 cases), 2.3% (19 cases), and 3.0% (25 cases) respectively. Conclusion: Good visual outcome can be obtained after cataract surgery at a secondary eye hospital, provided the surgeons and operating room team are trained, well equipped and follow aseptic measures. Key Words: Phacoemulsification, Cataract, Posterior capsule, Blindness.