About this issue

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Cataract remains the number one cause of bilateral blindness in the world. This is despite improvements in surgical technique resulting in better visual outcome and – using a variety of cost containment and income generation activities – attempts to lower the cost of surgery.

There are many good examples of the delivery of high volume, good quality and low cost cataract surgical services throughout the world. Unfortunately, however, there are also many places that have low volume, expensive cataract services, with less than optimal outcomes for patients.

A critical question, then, is how to transform a system with ineffective and inefficient delivery of cataract services into one with effective (good results) and efficient (good use of resources) delivery? This requires providers to ensure that they are delivering efficient eye care services with high quality surgery at a reasonable cost, together with activities in the community to create demand and overcome barriers to access.

This issue of the Journal includes case studies from Asia and Africa, together with articles on best practice, to try and assist readers to improve the quantity and quality of existing cataract services, while realising that each situation is different and has its own challenges, but also its own opportunities for good and innovative solutions.