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Nursing home residents need support to take advantage of cataract surgery

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Nursing home residents with cataracts are unlikely to take advantage of cataract surgery services unless the process is facilitated by a support system, a recent study showed.

David S. Friedman, MD, MPH, and colleagues at the Dana Center for Preventative Ophthalmology performed the study to assess the uptake of cataract surgery when screening services were offered in nursing homes.

They analyzed data from 28 nursing homes in Maryland and Delaware that were paired and randomized to “usual care” or “targeted intervention.” Any resident with 20/40 or worse vision due to cataract was informed about the benefits of cataract surgery; those in the targeted intervention homes were given additional support that included the offer of help with surgical scheduling and transportation.

In the facilities with the support system, 31% of diagnosed residents underwent cataract surgery. In facilities with usual care, only 2% did so.

The study is published in Archives of Ophthalmology.