Day-case cataract surgery in rural Spain.

OBJECTIVE

To ascertain how many patients in a rural area of Spain would qualify for and choose to have day-case cataract surgery.

SETTING

Departmento de Oftalmología, Hospital Comarcal, Hellín, Albacete, Spain.

METHODS

All patients intending to have cataract surgery in 1993 responded to a five-question survey. Only patients answering yes to all five questions were considered candidates for day-case surgery.

RESULTS

Thirty-three of 374 patients (9.0%) answered yes to all five questions. Only 7 of the 33 (1.9%) subsequently had day-case surgery.

CONCLUSION

Establishing a day-case cataract surgery, unit in rural areas requires consideration of factors not present in urban areas and may require more time for patient acceptance.