Cataract Surgery in Asian Countries – An Overview

Cataract, the leading cause of blindness in the world, is treated with surgery, and is the most common eye surgery performed. A PubMed search was done to review the spectrum of practice of cataract surgeries in Asian countries. Coverage for surgeries varied in different countries which depends mainly on the surgical facilities available in the region or country. Outreach programs, free surgeries and reimbursement of transport influence this. The cost of cataract surgery depends on type of cataract operation, government/private hospital, and facilities provided in the hospital, day care/in patient surgery, and economic status of people in the region/country.

Phaco surgery was more expensive than extracapsular cataract extraction (ECCE) and manual small incision cataract surgery (SICS). Intracapsular cataract extraction (ICCE) was cheaper than ECCE in India. Local anaesthesia (retrobulbar, peribulbar, subtenon and topical) is used compared to general anaesthesia. Pain was more in topical compared to regional anaesthesia though no pain was reported for phacoemulsification under topical.

Several manouveres have been utilised in difficult cases to optimise the outcomes. These include invention and modification of instruments, phacodynamic settings and surgical techniques. Specific regimes for pupillary dilatation have been recommended. In Diabetics, trenching was difficult. Elimination of cotton balls reduced fibres in the anterior chamber. Innovations in intraocular lenses (IOL) are glued IOL, Artisan iris fixated IOL, intrascleral fixation of IOL with Y sutures. Visual outcomes varied based on techniques of surgeries and types of IOLs used. The advancement of techniques and instrumentation has benefited patients with cataracts by improving outcomes.