Ge Yang
Sherif El-Defrawy
Graham E Trope
Yvonne M Buys
Sophia Y Liu
Ya-Ping Jin

Abstract Background: Cataract is an age-related eye disease. Visual impairment from cataract can be restored by cataract surgery. In ۲۰۰۴ the Canadian federal government invested in a multibillion dollar wait time strategy to shorten the wait time for cataract surgery, a government-insured health service in all Canadian jurisdictions. We assessed if this nationwide policy reduced the number of Canadians waiting for cataract surgery as more individuals with cataract were free of cataract following the rapidly conducted surgery. Methods: In this cross-sectional study we analyzed data from randomly selected individuals aged greater than or equal to ۴۵ years responding to the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) in ۲۰۰۰/۲۰۰۱, ۲۰۰۳, ۲۰۰۵, and the CCHS Healthy Aging in ۲۰۰۸/۲۰۰۹. Information on cataract was obtained from self-reported questionnaire. The age- and sex-standardized prevalence of cataract was calculated for comparisons. Results: Cataract was reported by ۰.۹۳ million Canadians in ۲۰۰۰/۲۰۰۱, ۰.۹۹ million in ۲۰۰۳, ۱.۱۰ million in ۲۰۰۵, and ۱.۳۴ million in ۲۰۰۸/۲۰۰۹. This corresponds to an age- and sex-standardized prevalence of ۸.۹% in ۲۰۰۰/۲۰۰۱, ۹.۰% in ۲۰۰۳, ۹.۵% in ۲۰۰۵, and ۱۰.۲% (P <۰.۰۵) in ۲۰۰۸/۲۰۰۹. The increase in age- and sex-standardized prevalence was greater in individuals without secondary school graduation than those with secondary school graduation or higher (۴.۳% versus ۱.۳%, P < ۰.۰۵) and was seen in all Canadian provinces. The largest increase was documented in a province (Saskatchewan, from ۹.۸% in ۲۰۰۰/۲۰۰۱ to ۱۲.۶% in ۲۰۰۸/۲۰۰۹, P < ۰.۰۵) with the longest median wait times for cataract surgery (۱۱۸ days in ۲۰۰۸) and the lowest number of ophthalmologists per ۱۰۰,۰۰۰ population (۱.۹۶ versus ۳.۳۵ national average). Conclusions: The age- and sex-standardized prevalence of cataract increased ۴-۵ years after the multibillion-dollar wait time strategy was launched in ۲۰۰۴. A lower threshold to diagnose cataract may be one potential reason for this finding. Further research is needed to understand the true reasons for the increase.