SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC ASPECTS AND SYSTEMATIC DISEASES OF CATARACT PATIENTS

Sociodemographic analysis of 351 consecutive cataract patients operate d on at the Oulu University Hospital in 1990 revealed that 30.0% of th e patients lived alone at home, 62.1% lived with some other person and 7.9% were in institutions. The mean age was 70.6 +/- 12.4 years, the sex distribution (62.7% women, 37.3% men) corresponded with that in th e general population of the same age. 78.8% of the patients had had su rgery on the first eye, 29.0% of them had low vision or blindness (vis ual acuity less than 0.3 in the better eye). In the second eye surgery group (21.2% of the patients) low vision or blindness was found in 13 .0%. Low vision was more common in institutionalized patients and in t hose with restricted mobility. In 80.9% of the operated eyes and in 41 .5% of the fellow eyes the visual acuity was less than 0.3. 76.6% of t he patients had medication for cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, asth ma or mental disorders. Based on this survey the demand for cataract s urgery is expected to increase in coming years. The majority would be suitable for day case surgery, but for patients living alone, having r estricted mobility, poor general health, poor vision in the fellow eye or long distance to the hospital, hospitalization still seems to be a better alternative.