CATARACT SURGEON'S OPINIONS: SITUATION, ETIOLOGY AND CLINICAL FEATURES OF SENILE CATARACT IN SUDAN

Aim: Is to determine situation, etiology and clinical features of senile cataract in Sudan from surgeon's perspectives.

Methods: Pilot study was conducted in Makkah Eye Complex (a voluntary organization; a tertiary eye care center) in Khartoum Alryad; in July 2010. Cataract surgeons 22 (100%) their age varies from 34 to 60 yrs were asked to participate in the study. Participation was entirely voluntary. Information was collected by means of interviews and questionnaire. The data were analyzed using Predictive Analytic Software (PASW) statistics-18 (2010) a modified version of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS).

Results: Cataract is leading cause of blindness due to lack of cataract surgeons (91%), high incidence (77%), and high prevalence (68%), early onset (64%) and increase in life expectancy (27%). Etiology of cataract was influenced by patient's medical history, exposure to ultra-violet light, occupational history, socio-economic conditions, and psychological well-being. Clinical features: All surgeons reported that defective vision is the chief complaint in patients with senile cataract. Other symptoms present beside defective vision mainly glare (55%). The majority of senile cataract encountered in clinical practice was just cataract (73%). The common stage present at ophthalmic clinic immature stage (59%). Ocular manifestation of senile cataract was described as asymmetrical (73%). According to morphology combinations of types appeared rather than single ones (78%).

Conclusions and Recommendations: The cataract surgical rate had increased significantly in the past few years, 98% of surgeries were performed using intra-ocular lenses. More than 75% of operations done in hospitals and the rest are done in eye camps and outreaches. Etiology and clinical features are more or less similar to the universal picture. Knowledge and awareness about cataract and its treatment are increasing considerably among population but cataract treatment remains a difficult challenge.