%0 Journal Article
%T Cataract and pterygium surgery results in Venezuelan patients treated in the Misi¨Žn Milagro program
%A Triana
%A Idalia
%A Socarr¨˘s
%A Oaris de los ¨˘ngeles
%A Rond¨Žn
%A Nelsis
%J MEDICC Review
%D 2012
%I Medical Education Cooperation with Cuba (MEDICC)
%R 10.1590/S1555-79602012000300007
%X an intervention to address vision loss was carried out in 2008 in t¨˘chira, venezuela, by health teams of the joint cuban-venezuelan initiative known as misi¨Žn milagro. it included active case identification of patients with ophthalmologic conditions and, where warranted, surgery, followup, rehabilitation and medical discharge. from a universe of 345 patients aged >18 years with ophthalmologic conditions found, 210 were selected for cataract or pterygium surgery. of cataract patients, 55.2% recovered optimal vision within three months after surgery, as did 90.9% of those with pterygium; frequency of complications was 15.4% in cataract patients and 41.7% in pterygium patients. the intervention was considered successful, although many patients' low-income status required premature postoperative return to their jobs and other labors, a factor considered detrimental to optimal recovery.
%K health disparities
%K medical missions
%K medical assistance
%K ophthalmology
%K cataract [extraction]
%K pterygium [surgery]
%K surgery
%K venezuela
%K cuba.
%U http://www.scielosp.org/scielo.php?script=sci_abstract&pid=S1555-79602012000300007&lng=en&nrm=iso&tlng=en