Cataract impact study

Testing visual acuity in the Philippines

Caption: Measuring visual acuity in the Philippines. Sarah Polack/LSHTM

 

Assessing the benefits of cataract surgery in low-income countries

The aim of the original cataract impact study in 2006 was to explore the impact of cataract surgery on poverty, activities and health-related quality of life. It was carried out in 2005-2006 in Kenya, Bangladesh and the Philippines.

Although it is assumed that people with visual impairment are likely to experience poorer quality of life, there was little evidence of this from low-income countries. The study aimed to address this gap in knowledge and the findings highlight key benefits of cataract surgery to a population of older adults in low-income countries after one year.

Read the summary report of the Cataract impact study (PDF 1.7Mb)

Cataract impact study: Six year follow up

To explore whether the benefits of cataract surgery are sustained over time, we undertook a six year follow-up study in Bangladesh and the Philippines in 2012.

This shows the long-term benefits of cataract surgery.

Cataract impact study six-year follow up summary report (PDF 339Kb)
Cataract impact study six-year follow up summary report (WORD 1.52Mb)

Acknowledgements

We would like to sincerely thank:

  • All the people who took part in this study
  • Drs Mamunur Rashid and Zakia Wadud (Bangladesh) , Cristina Eusebio (Philippines) and Wanjiku Mathenge (Kenya) for leading the project sites and making this research possible
  • The ophthalmologists, ophthalmic assistants, interviewers and office staff for their hard work
  • Fred Hollows Foundation for funding the six-year follow up of Cataract impact study
  • CBM, ORBIS and Sightsavers for funding the original Cataract impact study

Fred Hollows Foundation CBM

Sightsavers ORBIS

Publications

  • Syed A, Polack S, Eusebio C, Mathenge W, Wadud Z, Mamunur AK, Foster A, Kuper H. Predictors of attendance and barriers to cataract surgery in Kenya, Bangladesh and the Philippines. Disabil Rehabil. 2013 Jan 23.  Abstract
  • Robert P. Finger, David G. Kupitz, Eva Fenwick, Bharath Balasubramaniam, Ramanathan V Ramani, Frank G. Holz, Clare E. Gilbert. The impact of successful cataract surgery on quality of life, household income and social status in south India. PLoS One 2012 7: c44268. Abstract
  • Polack S, Eusebio C, Mathenge W, Wadud Z, MamunurAK, Fletcher A, Foster A, Kuper H. The impact of cataract surgery on health related quality of life in Kenya, the Philippines, and Bangladesh. Ophthalmic Epidemiol. 2010 Dec; 17(6):387-99. Abstract
  • Kuper H, Polack S, Mathenge W, Eusebio C, Wadud Z, Rashid M, Foster A. Does cataract surgery alleviate poverty? Evidence from a multi-centre intervention study conducted in Kenya, the Philippines and Bangladesh. PLoS One. 2010 Nov 9;5(11):e15431. Article
  • Polack S, Eusebio C, Mathenge W, Wadud Z, Rashid M, Foster A, Kuper H. The impact of cataract surgery on activities and time-use: results from a longitudinal study in Kenya, Bangladesh and the Philippines. PLoS One. 2010 Jun 1;5(6):e10913. Article
  • Polack S, Eusebio C, Fletcher A, Foster A, Kuper H. Visual impairment from cataract and health related quality of life: results from a case-control study in the Philippines. Ophthalmic Epidemiol. 2010 Jun;17(3):152-9.  Abstract
  • Lindfield R, Kuper H, Polack S, Eusebio C, Mathenge W, Wadud Z, Rashid AM, Foster A. Outcome of cataract surgery at one year in Kenya, the Philippines and Bangladesh. Br J Ophthalmol. 2009 Jul;93(7):875-80. Epub 2009 Feb 11. Article.
  • Kuper H, Polack S, Eusebio C, Mathenge W, Wadud Z, Foster A. A case-control study to assess the relationship between poverty and visual impairment from cataract in Kenya, the Philippines, and Bangladesh. PLoS Med 2008 Dec 16;5(12):e244. Article
  • Polack S, Kuper H, Eusebio C, Mathenge W, Wadud Z, Foster A. The impact of cataract on time-use: results from a population based case-control study in Kenya, the Philippines and Bangladesh. Ophthalmic Epidemiol 2008 Nov-Dec;15(6):372-82. Abstract
  • Lindfield R, Polack S, Wadud Z, Choudhury KA, Rashid AKMM, Kuper H. Causes of poor outcome after cataract surgery in Satkhira district, Bangladesh. Eye 2008 Aug;22(8):1054-6. Abstract
  • Polack S. Restoring sight: how cataract surgery improves the lives of older adults. Community Eye Health J 2008;21(66): 24-25. Article
  • Eusebio C, Kuper H, Polack SR, Enconada J, Tongson N, Dionio D, DumDum A, Limburg H, Foster A. Rapid assessment of avoidable blindness in Negros Island and Antique district, Philippines. Br J Ophthalmol 2007 Dec;91(12):1588-92. Article
  • Polack S, Kuper H, Mathenge W, Fletcher A, Foster A. Cataract visual impairment and quality of life in a Kenyan population. Br J Ophthalmol 2007 91(7):927-932. Article
  • Mathenge W, Kuper H, Limburg H, Polack S, Onyango O, Nyaga G, Foster A. Rapid assessment of avoidable blindness in Nakuru district, Kenya. Ophthalmology 2007 Mar;114(3):599-605. Abstract
  • Kuper H, Polack S, Limburg H. Rapid assessment of avoidable blindness. Community Eye Health J 2006; 19(60):68-69. Article
  • Wadud Z, Kuper H, Polack S, Lindfield R, Akm MR, Choudhury KA, Lindfield T, Limburg H, Foster A. Rapid assessment of avoidable blindness and needs assessment of cataract surgical services in Satkhira District, Bangladesh. Br J Ophthalmol 2006; 90(10):1225-1229.  Article

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