Study examines cataract care in Jhargram, West Bengal

A population-based study by Sightsavers India has examined cataract surgery coverage, visual outcomes and barriers to care in Jhargram district, West Bengal. Published in Discover Public Health, the study assessed 2,292 adults aged 40 and above.

Among people aged 50 and above who were blind due to cataract, 75.5% had received surgery. However, effective coverage—people who had surgery and achieved a good visual outcome—was 50.3%. The findings point to a gap between access to surgery and vision outcomes. The study also found higher cataract surgery coverage among men than women.

The most commonly reported barriers were not feeling that surgery was needed (43.5%) and fear of surgery or a poor outcome (24.7%). The study highlights the need to strengthen community awareness, ensure equitable access, improve post-surgery follow-up, and provide corrective spectacles where needed.

Read the Study