XXXX in Chakwal District, Pakistan: results of a survey.

@entity1 @entity1939 @entity231
AIM: To present the results of a rapid assessment of @entity231 surgical services in Chakwal District, Pakistan. METHODS: 40 clusters of 40 @entity1 of 50 years and older (1600 eligible @entity1 ) were selected by systematic random sampling from the entire Chakwal district. A total of 1505 @entity1 were examined (coverage 94%). RESULTS: @entity231 is the major cause of @entity1939 (46.5%). The age and sex adjusted prevalence of bilateral @entity231 (VA < 3/60) in @entity1 of 50 years and older was 2.0% (95% CI: 1.2-3.2%), with a @entity231 surgical coverage of 92% for males and 73% for females, a significant difference. The prevalence of bilateral @entity231 and VA < 6/60 in @entity1 of 50 years and older was 5.1% (95% CI: 3.6-6.9), an estimated total of 8833 @entity1 . In this last group, the surgical coverage was 66% ( @entity1 ) and 50% (eyes). Of the @entity1 operated with IOL implantation, 12% could not see 6/60, while 36% of those operated without IOL could not see 6/60. 'No services' (18%) and 'cannot afford' (18%) were mentioned most as reasons why surgery had not been done, followed by 'no information' (13%), 'waiting for maturity' (12%) and 'old age, no need for surgery' (12%). CONCLUSION: The number of @entity231 operations in Chakwal District can be increased by reducing the threshold for @entity231 surgery to VA < 6/60 or less. A special approach to operate more females may be required. Results from this survey can be used for a planning exercise to optimize eye care services in the district. Sustained efforts have to be made to increase the number of IOL surgeries, through making IOL surgery available locally at an affordable cost.
