Objectives: To understand the reasons for poor cataract surgery uptake in people with blindness or severe visual impairment in rural South Africa.
Methods: A qualitative analysis of detailed, domiciliary interviews with a community-based random sample of elderly Zulus who were blind or severely visually impaired as a result of operable cataract, who had previously been invited for surgery but had failed to attend.
Results: Fear of surgery and a fatalistic attitude to the inevitability and irreversibility of blindness in old age were the main reasons for failure to attend for surgery. There was a lower level of disability and perceived need than had been assumed for people with such poor visual acuity. Non-surgical western style health care for systemic illness was common but few patients had sought any form of assistance for their poor vision. Issues of cost and accessibility were relatively unimportant.
Conclusion: Provision of affordable and accessible cataract surgery for the blind and severely visually impaired members of a community does not guarantee that it will be taken up. Other barriers to surgery may be revealed when practical issues such as cost and accessibility are addressed. Perceptions of visual disability among subjects with cataract may differ from simple objective clinical standards.
My eight year old daughter was terrified to go to the eye doctor for fear of her eyes being dilated. The doctor was SO KID friendly! He immediately made her comfortable by engaging her in conversation. It was a geat experience.
Dr. Garbus spent an amazing amount of time to solve my very complicated visual problems. Over the years he has continually achieved results beyond what others felt possible. He is always up to date on the latest science. He is great!
Family Vision Care Valencia makes it so easy. Staff is knows what they are doing and Dr. Garbus is thorough and kept me well informed during the exam.
I have been coming to Family Vision Center for almost 20 years. Dr. Garbus has been able to help my vision when other doctors could not. Now my kids see him as well. I highly recommend this office!
The Doctor is very good. I felt on this visit he seemed rushed. I had questions to ask him but he was already with another patient. I still do not know if my eyes are the same , worse, or better.
All the staff is friendly, helpful and knowledgeable, and has been for all the years I have been going there.
According to the American Optometric Association, approximately 80% of what a child learns in school is acquired through vision, and vision problems can significantly impact academic performance. As a developmental optometrist, has treated many students who struggle to learn how to read due to vision problems. In this blog, we will explore how vision therapy […]
Bloodshot eyes can be alarming, but they are not always a cause for concern. In this blog, we will discuss the common causes of bloodshot eyes, how to treat them, and when to seek medical attention. We will also provide some helpful tips for preventing bloodshot eyes in the future. Understanding Subconjunctival Hemorrhage A subconjunctival […]
As parents and teachers, we often assume that a child's ability to read the letter chart accurately is the only indicator of good eyesight. However, there is much more to vision than just acuity (identifying the letters on an eye chart). It is critical for parents to understand that a vision screening is only identifying […]
