Adverse Outcomes Following Cataract Surgery in Western Australia: A Population Study Using Record Linkage

Funding Activity

Website
http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/303114

Funding Status
Closed

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Funded Activity Summary

Cataract is a major cause of correctable visual loss with surgery the only treatment available. Cataract surgery is now one of the most commonly performed operations. With the ageing population, the number of operations is set to double within the next 12 years in Western Australia, from 10,000 procedures a year currently. Although surgery is successful in most cases, complications do occur. Endophthalmitis (infection of internal structures of the eye), incomplete cataract removal, detachment of the retina and corneal decompensation (opacity of the clear front of the eye) are four major complications of cataract surgery. These complications may cause blindness and are expensive to treat. We propose to investigate these serious, potentially blinding, complications of cataract surgery by measuring how often these complications occur and to examine if changes in surgical technique over the past 20 years have resulted in better outcomes. We will also evaluate risk factors for endophthalmitis; and determine the quality of life and economic costs of endophthalmitis after cataract surgery. Our study findings will enable us to better inform eye surgeons, the general community, health policy makers and the scientific community about the cost versus safety of different forms of cataract surgery. Unless effective strategies can be found to reduce the rate of complications, the personal and community burden of these devastating complications will only increase as the number of operations continues to increase.

Funded Activity Details

Start Date: 01-01-2004

End Date: 01-01-2006

Funding Scheme: NHMRC Project Grants

Funding Amount: $359,150.00

Funder: National Health and Medical Research Council

Research Topics

ANZSRC Field of Research (FoR)

Optical technology

ANZSRC Socio-Economic Objective (SEO)

There are no SEO codes available for this funding activity

Other Keywords

Adverse events | Cataract surgery | Endophthalmitis | Iatrogenic disease | Ophthalmology | Public health | Quality of health care | Quality of life | Record Linkage | Surgery

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