Cataract and pterygium surgery results in Venezuelan patients treated in the Misión Milagro program

an intervention to address vision loss was carried out in 2008 in táchira, venezuela, by health teams of the joint cuban-venezuelan initiative known as misión 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.