Al Ameen Journal of Medical Sciences (Jan 2020)
Barriers of Cataract surgery among camp screened patients of Sunsari and Morang district of Eastern Nepal
Abstract
Background: Cataract is the leading cause of blindness in developing countries like Nepal. To meet the objective of VISION 2020, the study of the barriers that delay surgical uptake becomes important. This study has been done to assess the socio-demographic characteristics and barriers of cataract surgery among the patients referred for surgery among the eye camp screened patients. Methods: The descriptive cross-sectional study was done. A total of 278 samples were selected randomly among 478 non-acceptors of surgery till the last of November 2018. Face to face interview was done by the trained data collector, the socio-demographic characteristics, quality of life and visual status and reason for not coming for surgery were assessed through a semi-structured questionnaire. The sample size was 278 but the analysis was done for 71 due to not found the person during interview and non-response. Result: Among 71 respondents, 45% were female and 55% male who did not come for surgery. Mostly 68% were farmers, 23% had no work, and 10% unskilled labor. Sixty - two percent were illiterate, 61% had single type family and 85% belongs to upper lower class, 93% had heard of cataract, 48% don’t know about the cause of cataract, only 7% know that surgery is the treatment of cataract, and only about one-fifth of the respondents had complete information regarding free services provided by camp. About 85% of the respondents were aware that their vision becomes more deteriorate if not undergone through surgery. All of them stated that they had difficulties in daily activities as well as in vision due to cataracts. The main barrier of not coming for surgery were no one to accompanies, presence of systematic disease, had no time, non-affordability, fear of losing sight, and no proper orientation and others i.e. 26%, 24%, 17%, 14%, 13%, 10% & 5% respectively. Conclusion: The main barrier of not coming for surgery was no one to accompanies, presence of systematic disease, had no time, non-affordability, fear of losing sight, and no proper orientation. There is a need to conduct massive and proper counseling to community people, family members & individuals on eye diseases among eye camp patients to increase eye care services.
