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J Comm Eye Health 2003;16(46): 24

LETTERS

Monitoring Cataract Surgical Outcomes Moses C Chirambo

(J Comm Eye Health 2002; 15: 58-59)

Dr Andrew Potter
MRCOphth, Hôpital deBOKO, Parakou, Benin Republic

Dear Editor

Dr Chirambo paints a realistic picture of African cataract surgery where the result of the average cataract operation is not reaching the WHO recommended visual outcome.

Suppose I am a cataract surgeon working in an isolated hospital. Suppose I have the intellectual honesty and humility to begin the process of auditing my results. Suppose I find that 50% or more of my post-operative cataract patients fail to attain 6/18 or better vision. Who will help me to improve?

Suppose my surgical skills need to be updated. Suppose my selection of patients needs to be bettered. Where do I turn for help? Improvement is not going to happen simply by doing an audit. lf my results are mediocre then I need a non-threatening helping hand. But from where and from whom?