Cataract is no more an old age phenomenon, even youngsters suffer, says Pristyn Care study.
NEW DELHI, June 28 (The CONNECT) – More than half of cataract patients in India delay surgeries thanks to the common fear of losing sight, a survey shows.
There is also a common misconception that the surgery is painful and recovery is prolonged, the research done by the National Eye Institute, The Great Indian Cataract Survey Report, shows.
The survey also blows the myth that cataract is an old age condition. The data analysis indicates growing number cases among the younger population as well. The risk factors may be prolonged exposure to UV rays, early onset of diabetes, smoking, alcohol, and environmental factors like food adulteration and pollution.
The study was conducted with over 1000+ respondents across metros as well as the data analyzed by the Pristyn Care Data Lab on cataract surgeries performed till now.
Pristyn Care’s Data Lab, which also studied 1 lakh+ cataract patient queries and 7000+ cataract surgeries done by the company, 59% of cataract surgeries are in the age group of 56 and above.
Dr Garima Sawhney, co-founder at Pristyn Care, said, Cataract is the major cause of reversible blindness and visual impairment in the country. “We have observed that lack of access to information, treatment and accessibility are the main reasons for delay among Indians,” he said.
Cataract is the leading cause of vision loss in the country; however, it is treatable with a simple procedure with over 98% success rate. Among the top criteria for undergoing cataract surgery, 52% of Indians choose specialized, highly experienced surgeons, 41% opt for advanced technology, and 26% make the decision based on the location of the surgery, i.e. the eye hospital and clinic. Affordability and cost of the surgery ranks last at 24%.
Dr. Kripa Pulasaria, Ophthalmologist said, “While there can be multiple reasons for cataract delay, we at Pristyn Care believe that it is important to address patient concerns and spend time with them one-on-one. Patients who understand the treatment and benefits of advanced technology are generally not anxious while undergoing the surgery. Fears of pain, surgical complications, or losing eye-sight can be mitigated with appropriate preoperative education.”
Pristyn Care is one of the major cataract surgery providers in the country. It surveyed 7 metros including NCR, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bangalore, Pune, Hyderabad and Chennai.
