SUMMARY

A survey was conducted to identify some patients' characteristics and perceptions related to senile cataract and delivery of cataract care. The patients were diagnosed by means of ophthalmic examination carried out on a cataract-free-zone project performed within a defined geographic area in Brazil. A questionnaire was administered by interviewing 339 subjects, who presented the following characteristics: 51.9% were males and 48.1% were females; ages varying between 50 and 94 years; 55.7% have not gone to school; 73.7% have stopped working. The overuse of eyes during work (43.1%) and age itself (40.7%) were referred by them as the main causes of their cataract. Financial reasons were mainly pointed out to explain their non-previous ophthalmic examination. Approximately 40.0% were freightened about cataract surgery in account of blindness or death; 41.4% of the subjects declared that blindness was due to God's will. We recommend eye health educational programs for prevention of blindness and sight restoration.

Key words: blindness prevention; senile cataract; patients' perceptions