RESUMO
In Pakistan, not only the urban but also the rural population has a high-risk potential for cardiovascular diseases [CVD]. However, unfortunately the identification of risk factors in the rural population and the rural health education regarding CVDs has not been a hallmark of our health promoting efforts. Actually, there is little population-based data available in Pakistan
Now is the time to focus our attention and resources on the identification and the prevalence of major risk factors like tobacco consumption, hypertension and obesity in our rural population, which constitutes more than half of the country's population. A pilot project is designed to fulfill the need of the hour. Moreover, various strategies and methodologies are recommended for the prevention and control, thereby emphasizing upon the fact that "PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE"
RESUMO
To document the outcome of macular pucker surgery in terms of improvement of visual acuity. Design: Interventional quasi experimental study. Setting: Ophthalmology Department, Civil Hospital, Karachi. Patients and Twenty-two patients with macular pucker underwent surgical repair. Pars plana posterior vitrectomy with epiretinal membrane peeling and internal limiting membrane peeling [maculorrhexis] was carried out. Postoperative follow-up was done for one year. Main outcome measure were visual acuity, causes and ocular complications. Data was analyzed using SPSS Version-10. Non-parametric sign test with chi-square statistic was used to compare the pre-operative and postoperative outcome. The macular pucker was successfully removed in 18 patients that revealed high statistical significance regarding improvement in visual acuity. Earlier, significant improvement [18 / 22 cases] was observed at three-month postoperative examination [p < 0.0001]. Insignificant [9/22] postoperative complications were noted at six-month postoperative follow-up. Metamorphopsia was relieved in 18 patients. Ten patients developed cataract, 4 patients developed increased intra-ocular pressure [transient] and two patients developed retinal detachment. Pars plana posterior vitrectomy with epiretinal membrane peeling and internal limiting membrane peeling [maculorrhexis] can successfully remove macular pucker, improve vision and relieve metamorphopsia