Abstract
Purpose:
To estimate incidence rates of cataract surgery in a defined population base and to determine longitudinal cataract surgery patterns.
Methods:
Rochester Epidemiology Project (REP) databases were used to identify all incident cataract surgeries in Olmsted County, Minnesota residents during the 7-year period January 1, 2005 through December 31, 2011. Age- and gender-specific incidence rates were calculated. Data were merged with previous REP incidence data (1980 - 2004) to assess long-term temporal trends in cataract surgery. Change in incidence over time was assessed by fitting generalized linear models assuming a Poisson error structure. The cumulative probability of second eye cataract surgery was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method.
Results:
We included 8,012 cataract surgeries from 2005 through 2011. During this time, incident cataract surgery significantly increased (P<0.001), peaking in 2011 with an overall incidence rate of 1,100 (95% CI, 1,050- 1,160) per 100,000 residents. The probability of second-eye surgery at 3-, 12-, and 24-months after first-eye surgery was 60%, 76%, and 86%; an increase of >30% when compared to the same time intervals in the previous 7-year period, 1998-2004 (P<0.001). When merged with previous REP data, incident cataract surgery steadily increased over the last 3 decades (P<0.001).
Conclusions:
Incident cataract surgery steadily increased over the last 3 decades, and did not level off as reported in large population-based series in Sweden. Second-eye surgery is performed sooner and more frequently, with 86% of residents having second-eye surgery within 2 years of first-eye surgery.
Keywords: 445 cataract •
463 clinical (human) or epidemiologic studies: prevalence/incidence