Cataract and Pterygium Surgery Results in Venezuelan Patients Treated in the Misión Milagro Program

Idalia Triana,Oaris Angeles De Los Socarrás,Nelsis Rondón

doi:10.37757/mr2012v14.n3.7

Abstract

An intervention to address vision loss was carried out in 2008 in Táchira, Venezuela, by health teams of the joint Cuban-Venezuelan initiative known as Misión Milagro. It included active case identification of patients with ophthalmologic conditions and, where warranted, surgery, followup, rehabilitation and medical discharge. From a universe of 345 patients aged ≥18 years with ophthalmologic conditions found, 210 were selected for cataract or pterygium surgery. Of cataract patients, 55.2% recovered optimal vision within three months after surgery, as did 90.9% of those with pterygium; frequency of complications was 15.4% in cataract patients and 41.7% in pterygium patients. The intervention was considered successful, although many patients' low-income status required premature postoperative return to their jobs and other labors, a factor considered detrimental to optimal recovery.

Highlights

There are approximately 39 million blind persons in the world and a further 246 million with low vision; about 90% of them live in developing countries where the probability of going blind is ten times that in industrialized countries.[1]
Prevalence among countries varies inversely with levels of social and economic development: up to 1% in lower-income countries with deficient health services compared to 0.25% in more developed countries
On July 10, 2004, the first 50 Venezuelan patients enrolled in the program received surgeries in Cuba, where Cuban patients were enrolled.[10]

Summary

Introduction

There are approximately 39 million blind persons in the world and a further 246 million with low vision (severe or moderate visual impairment); about 90% of them live in developing countries where the probability of going blind is ten times that in industrialized countries.[1]There is a well-established relationship between poverty and blindness.[2].

Results

Conclusion