Outcome of high-volume cataract surgery at an academic hospital

Objective. This study aimed to review the results of high-volume cataract surgery performed at Umtata General Hospital, an academic hospital, during an 'eye surgery camp' held over a weekend. Subjects and design. Ninety-eight cataract operations were performed over 3 days at Umtata Hospital during an eye camp to reduce backlog of cataract surgery in the Eastern Cape. After media announcement, patients were selected for cataract surgery and comprehensive pre-operative evaluation was done. Three qualified surgeons operated on the patients. Outcome treasures. Patients were reviewed at day 1 and at 3- and 6-week intervals in order to study the outcome of such operations. Results. A total of 92.4% of patients achieved visual acuity of 6/60 or better at 6 weeks postoperatively. The surgical complication rate was minimal and overall satisfactory surgical outcome was observed in these cases. Conclusion. Teaching hospitals with dedicated ophthalmic operating facilities can be utilised for high-volume cataract surgery over designated short-term periods and can provide a good alternative to mobile eye camp surgery. Until primary and secondary care facilities are optimal for cataract screening and surgery, such camps are recommended to reduce backlog of cataract surgery in the country.