Spectacle Coverage Rate After Cataract Surgery in an Urban Area in Indonesia

Abstract

Purpose

Uncorrected refractive errors after cataract surgery contribute to visual impairments. The aim of this study was to investigate the spectacle coverage rate (SCR) following cataract surgery and its relationship with socioeconomic factors in an urban city in Indonesia.

Patients and Methods

This population-based cross-sectional study was conducted in 2015 in Jakarta. The former participants of the Rapid Assessment of Avoidable Blindness (RAAB) survey had a history of cataract surgery and met either of the following criteria: (1) wore spectacles with presenting visual acuity (PVA) 6/12 or (2) had PVA less than 6/12 regardless of spectacle use but achieved the best visual acuity (BVA) 6/12 with pinhole correction.

Results

Of the 2998 participants of the RAAB survey, 173 (5.6%) (252 eyes) had a history of cataract surgery, among whom 53 (86 eyes) met our inclusion criteria. The SCR was 69.8% and was associated with age group, household income level, education level, and physicians’ recommendation of spectacle wear. Participants who were of nonproductive age (80%), had the highest household income level (88.2%), the highest level of education (87.5%), and had been recommended for spectacle use by their physicians (80.9%) demonstrated higher SCR. Participants with the highest household income had the highest SCR. Patients who had received a physician’s recommendation showed a higher SCR and were 26 times more likely to wear spectacles (odds ratio [OR] 25.99, 95% CI 2.59–260.10).

Conclusion

There is an unmet need for refractive errors after cataract surgery. Factors such as household income levels and physician recommendations were predictive of spectacle wear.

Keywords:

• cataract surgery
• RAAB
• socioeconomic factors
• spectacle coverage rate

Abbreviations

BVA, best visual acuity; CI, confidence interval; IOL, intraocular lens; PVA, presenting visual acuity; SCR, spectacle coverage rate; RAAB, rapid assessment of avoidable blindness.

Acknowledgments

We thank Dr. Cicih Opitasari, MARS, and Dr. Aria Kekalih, M. T. I, for providing guidance in planning and conducting this research. This study was an extension of the Rapid Assessment of Avoidable Blindness Survey conducted in 2015 which received financial support from the Ministry of Health, Republic of Indonesia. The authors received no financial support for the authorship or publication of this article.

Disclosure

The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.