CATARACT DISEASE;

Introduction: Cataract is one of the reversible cause of decreased vision orcataract. Its highest incidence can be seen among senile and diabetics. Patients present inOpthalmology OPD with the cataract or with one of the complications of cataract. Objectives:To study the awareness of cataract disease, knowledge of risk factors and major barrierswhich result in the delayed presentation. Study Design: Cross sectional study. Setting: Itwas conducted in ophthalmology OPD. Duration: January 2017 to March 2017 (3 months).Materials & Methods: About 100 patients were selected by nonrandom purposive sampling.They were given questionnaires or direct questions were asked to fill the questionnaires.Results: 69% were males and 31% were females with age groups ranging from 35 to 95 yearsof age. Mean age was 60.90 with an SD of 11.28. About 74% of the patients were having alow educational level. For 71% of the patients, ophthalmologist was the source of informationabout his/her ailment. 57% of the people know about the nature of their disease. Regardingthe delay in presentation (36%) presented in less than 3 months after they first noticed blurringof vision. About 20% patient presented after a period of 1 year after feeling of low vision. 59%of patients knew that cataract incidence increases with age. 72% of patients knew that visioncan be restored after cataract surgery. Knowledge about the improvement of the eye conditionby microsurgery was 66%. Knowledge about the complications of cataract was estimated todecreased vision (61%), blindness (23%), pain (9%), cosmetic problems (2%), others (5%).Reasons for delay include waiting for cataract to mature (53%), financial problems (13%), toofar no people to accompany (12%), no time ( 10%), afraid (6%), don’t want to operate (4%),no reason (2%). Knowledge about the risk factors was estimated to be as diabetes (67%),hypertension (23%), others NOS (10%). Conclusion: There is a lack of awareness about thecataract disease, its complications and risk factors which result in the late presentation of thecataract patients. Patients, as well as general public, need to be educated by various means toprevent the complications of cataract and blindness.