Frech Stefanie, Hopkins Adrian, Moanda Astrid, Kilangalanga Janvier, Guthoff Rudolf F
Department of Ophthalmology, Rostock University Medical Center, 18057 Rostock, Germany.
Programme National de Santé Oculaire et Vision (PNSOV), Kinshasa P.O. Box 322, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Children (Basel). 2022 Nov 2;9(11):1683. doi: 10.3390/children9111683.
The study investigated the influence of bilateral cataract surgery on the social and educational development of previously bilaterally blind children in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), where the prevalence of blindness due to cataract is higher than in high-income countries. The views of both, parents and children, were evaluated with structured interviews based on a newly developed questionnaire related to surgery, follow-up, and family life after surgery. The mean age of the children at interview was 14.4 ± 8.1 years, with 27 females and 26 males. Satisfaction with the outcome of the surgery was reported by 91% of parents. Parents would recommend surgery, because of the children being happy and able to act more independently, with personal, educational and familial factors essentially contributing to the reported satisfaction. The results also showed that 85.0% of children did not wear eyeglasses. Reasons given were mainly cost-related, but also included limited communication between families and health institutions. Providing and maintaining a high-quality and accessible pediatric cataract surgery and healthcare service for follow-up is a major requisite to reduce childhood blindness in SSA. Our study proved the necessity and effectiveness of a community-based rehabilitation program that cares about each individual child, whatever his or her social background.
该研究调查了双侧白内障手术对撒哈拉以南非洲（SSA）先前双侧失明儿童的社会和教育发展的影响，在该地区，因白内障导致失明的患病率高于高收入国家。基于一份新开发的有关手术、术后随访及家庭生活的问卷，通过结构化访谈对家长和儿童的观点进行了评估。接受访谈的儿童平均年龄为14.4±8.1岁，其中女性27名，男性26名。91%的家长对手术结果表示满意。家长们会推荐手术，因为孩子们变得快乐且能够更独立地行动，个人、教育和家庭因素对所报告的满意度起到了重要作用。结果还显示，85.0%的儿童不戴眼镜。给出的原因主要与费用有关，但也包括家庭与医疗机构之间沟通有限。提供并维持高质量且可及的小儿白内障手术及后续医疗保健服务是减少SSA地区儿童失明的一项主要必要条件。我们的研究证明了一个关注每个儿童个体、不论其社会背景如何的社区康复项目的必要性和有效性。
