The pattern of cataract in Amara city, south of Iraq, 2017

Abstract

A cataract is the leading cause of blindness and visual impairment throughout the world according to the World Health Organization (WHO), and it has been shown that visual impairment and age-related cataract may be independent risk factors for increased mortality in older persons. This study was aimed to determine the epidemiological characteristics of cataract patients and their management. A cross-sectional study with an analytic element. It was conducted in the department of ophthalmology in Al-Sadder teaching hospital in Misan governorate, Iraq. During 2017, the study, including the patients who attend the Ophthalmology Unit regarding some characteristics features with underwent a full eye examination with some investigations. The results of the current study revealed that the total study sample was 109 patients who diagnosed as cataract patient, out of them about 63 (57%) was female and 46 (43%) was male. There were 61(56%) of the case with age ≥ 50 years old, while the rest (44%) of the case with age less than 50-year-old. More than two-thirds of cases was lived in urban(72.5%). About 28% of cataract patients was a smoker, and 17.4% was a positive family history. The positive history of Systemic disease, Ocular disease or trauma and steroid was 50,4%, 21.1%, and 14.7, respectively. There was a three type of cataract was noted by the study as following; nuclear sclerotic was 53%, posterior sub-capsular was 34%, and cortical was 13%. A statistically significant association between cataract types and patients age, address, steroid maturity and IOP where p-value ≤0.05. Surgery used in 50% of patients. Cataract mostly occurs in female, more than 50 years old patients and steroid used. Common treatment was surgery.