INTRAOCULAR-LENS IMPLANTATION IN RURAL INDIA

We performed 379 extracapsular cataract surgeries with implantation of intraocular lenses (IOLs) in a public eye camp in Ganeshpuri, India ( 50 miles north of Bombay). Ninety percent (341) of the patients return ed for follow up. At 8 weeks postoperatively, 48% of the patients had a visual acuity of 6/18 or better uncorrected; with correction, this f igure rises to 71.5%. In general, surgical complications were neither severe nor frequent. More serious difficulties were associated with me asuring initial IOL power, obtaining refractive data (including astigm atism), follow up of astigmatism (suture cutting), posterior capsule o pacification, and associated preoperative pathology. On the basis of o ur data, we believe that IOL implantation in public eye camps, under c ontrolled conditions of asepsis and with appropriate instrumentation, is a safe and effective way to provide visual rehabilitation to the ru ral populations of third-world countries.