Role of Outreach Camps in Reducing the Burden of Cataracts in South India

Abstract

Aim: To establish the efficacy of rural outreach programme in reducing blindness caused by cataract by comparative analysis of visual outcome. Materials and Methods: Records of patients attending outreach camps conducted during 10 years i.e., 2001-02 to 2010-11 were studied. The total number of patients attending the camp and those who were detected to have visually significant cataract were noted. Similarly, the number of patients attending the outpatient department of the department of Ophthalmology and the number detected with visually significant cataract were noted. Data was tabulated and analyzed. Result: Out of 1, 16,615 patients visiting the outpatient department during those ten years, 3,014 were detected to have cataract (2.58%). 744 camps were conducted during the period of ten years, screening 60,086 patients and 6711 (11.17%) of them were detected to have cataract and were operated. These results were statistically significant. Conclusions: High numbers of cataracts were detected in the rural parts of South India with the help of outreach camps, while compared to tertiary care centres. They were given treatment in the form of cataract extraction and implantation of intraocular lens. Hence, conducting outreach camps forms an integral part in decreasing the visual morbidity due to cataract.

Keywords

• Outreach camps
• Cataract surgery
• Mobile ophthalmic unit