Increasing Number of Cataract Extractions in a Hungarian Ophthalmology
Clinic Between 19871996
Judit Szabó1, Mária Bausz2, Orsolya
Ispán2, Ildikó Süveges2, and László
D. Szabó1
1 Frédéric Joliot-Curie National Research Institute
for Radiobiology and Radiohygiene, Budapest, Hungary
2 1st Ophthalmology Department of Semmelweis
University of Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
Corresponding author: Dr. Judit Szabó
Frédéric Joliot-Curie National Research Institute for Radiobiology
and Radiohygiene
H-1775 Budapest,
P.O.Box 101, Hungary
Telephone/Fax: +36 1 226 5331
CEJOEM 1998, Vol.4. No.1.:66-81
Key words:
Ultraviolet radiation, cataract extraction, epidemiology, ozone depletion
Abbreviations:
CA cortical anterior opacity
PCL posterior chamber lens
N nuclear opacity
ACL anterior chamber lens
PSC posterior subcapsular opacity
ICCE intracapsular cataract extraction
UV ultraviolet
IOL intraocular lens implantation
ECCE extracapsular cataract extraction
Abstract:
In the last fifteen years a great improvement in the technique of cataract
surgery was made. Intraocular lens (IOL) implantation technique shows advantages
compared to simple extracapsular cataract extraction. IOL was introduced
in 1984 and from the year 1992 on it was the leading procedure (>80%) in
the 1st Ophthalmology Department of Semmelweis University of Medicine,
Budapest, Hungary. The number of cataract extractions tripled between 19871996.
The increase occurred in all age groups between 3064 years at about the
same rate (mean: 1.7x) except for the 4549 year olds (3.2x). The sharpest
rise occurred in very young and very old ages. There were significantly
more women, and more men below 60 years. Mean age was 67 years (males 63,
females 69). Mode was 72 years (males 72, females 75). The mean age per
year decreased by the end of the period.
The prevalence of cataract may act as a measure
of well-being and/or adaptation level of a population between given socio-economical-environmental
conditions. The continous rise of the number of cataract extractions beyond
a well established surgical procedure reflect increased stress level of
the population. The change in the technique of cataract surgery may have
not been the only cause of increase of cataract extractions in the given
ophthalmology clinic. During the given period in Hungary influence of enhanced
social-economical stress (added to given lifestyle and eating habits) occurred
together with a steadily increasing global ambient ultraviolet insolation
due to the stratospheric ozone loss, and a periodic UV increase of the
eleven-year sun cycle origin (maximum sunspot number in 1989). The aethiological
role of increased UV-B radiation cannot be judged (shortness of period,
patients represent only part of the population). Follow-up in the same
clinic would be useful in order to be able to guess long-term trends, for
which the base-line data and analysis are now available. For prevalence
data the extension of the survey to the whole country would be required,
by which we could gain a general morbidity index of the population
(not only cataract), and a biological effect index, by which we
could measure the effect of future ambient UV radiation in case of increase.
Received: 3 December, 1997
Accepted: 9 February, 1998
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Posted: 15 November 1998