Consequences of waiting for cataract surgery

Abstract

PURPOSE OR REVIEW: To conduct a concise review of primary research articles over the preceding year on the subject of the consequences of waiting for cataract surgery.

Recent findings: Waiting for cataract surgery beyond 6 months may result in increasing vision loss, decrease in quality life, loss of driver's license, depression and adverse events including falls and fractures. The consequences of waiting for cataract surgery not only affect patients, families and surgeons, but also health ministries and public health policy makers. Consequences are both quantitative and qualitative in nature, ranging from progressive vision loss to patients' decrease in quality of life from factors other than vision loss. Cataract wait lists are not unique to North America, and numerous international articles have described a broad variety of consequences.

Summary: Consequences of waiting for cataract surgery are multivariate in nature and easily extend beyond the clinical setting into sociodemographic realms and public health costs and policy arenas.