Assessment of the progression of public investment in cataract surgery in Brazil

Abstract

Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the progression of public investments in cataract surgery in Brazil and its correlation with the growth of the elderly population and the gross domestic product (GDP) between 2010 and 2021. Methods: This descritive, retrospective study analyzed data from public databases recording surgical procedures and the amounts invested per surgery to treat senile cataracts, performed per year and by region by the Unified Health System in 2010 and 2021. Results: The number of cataract surgeries performed by Brazil’s public health system increased by 79.77%, from 356,088 in 2010 to 640,408 in 2021, while the population aged >60 years increased by 50.08%. The increase in the number of surgeries resulted from greater public investments in the area (an increase of 26.61% in corrected values), which was consistent with the increase in the GDP during the period (30.88% in corrected values). Conclusions: The progression of public investments in cataract surgery from 2010 to 2021 was similar to the increase in GDP of Brazil. Moreover, the increase in the number of surgeries performed by the public health system offset the increase and aging of the population and also reduced the proportion of accumulated cases of cataract-related blindness. However, the improvement was not homogeneous, demonstrating the need to adopt public policies based on regional epidemiological evidence.