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Cataract blindness in the developing world a tough but manageable challenge
SAN FRANCISCO — Blindness due to cataract remains a significant problem in the developing world that is compounded by the need to control high costs while still delivering quality eye care.
 David F. Chang |
Though the task is daunting, David F. Chang, MD, said during the Binkhorst Lecture at the opening session of the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, it is by no means insurmountable. In fact, several programs around the world demonstrate that cataract surgery can be performed effectively, efficiently and in a cost-responsible manner.
The key to addressing the 18 million cases of bilateral cataract blindness around the world may be the adoption of small incision cataract surgery (MSICS) techniques, Dr. Chang said, pointing to the success of the Avarind Hospitals in India, the Himalayan Cataract Project and Project Vision in China in implementing these techniques into practice.
What these programs have in common, he continued, is that they offer phacoemulsification for patients who can afford it, and the revenue from those surgeries helps offset charitable cases performed with MSICS.
In his talk, Dr. Chang emphasized curing blindness in developing countries is more than just service to humanity; it also contributes to a greater good for the world community.
"Blindness is an impediment to economic progress," Dr. Chang said. "One of the most valuable and precious resources for a society to have is good cataract surgeons," Dr. Chang said.