Cataract Surgery in IRAN 2000-2005

Purpose: To determine the distribution of cataract surgery in Iran between 2000 and 2005 Methods: In a retrospective study based on files, cataract surgery centers were selected. Between 2000 and 2005, one week of each season was selected randomly and all cataract surgery files of the center were studied. The surgeries were analyzed based on type, types of the lenses, intraoperative complications, hospitalization time, length of waiting time before surgery, sex and age. Results: Mean age of 13,409 cataract cases (50.2% males, 49.8% females) was 64.9±14.7. Mean age of males (64.37) was significantly less than females (65.5) (P<0.001). Age-related (89.26%) and congenital (0.99%) cataract were the most and the least common surgery cases, respectively. Extracapsular method had the highest prevalence (50.76%). However, within 2000-2005 its prevalence decreased from 56% to 20.5%. Instead, the Phaco method, with a prevalence of 47.01% increased from 12.5% to 77.5% during the same period of time. During that time window of 6 years, the prevalence of outpatient surgeries was 31.42%. Conclusion: This study reports the overall status of cataract surgery in Iran between 2000 and 2005. In comparison to some developed countries, although the transition to Phaco method was done with a delay, its prevalence in 2005 was 77.5% and is expected to replace quickly other surgical techniques in the country.