Ocular comorbidity is a significant limiting factor on final visual outcome from cataract surgery. The prevalence of coexisting comorbidity is reported between 17.1 and 26%.1 2 5 6 To our knowledge, there is little contemporary evidence of the prevalence and impact of comorbidity on visual outcomes in West Africa.

We reviewed 969 consecutive cataract surgeries performed between June and December 2006 by a single surgeon (NM) on the hospital ship M/V Anastasis, operated by Mercy Ships, in Ghana, West Africa.

Preoperatively, patients were screened for apparent major ocular comorbidity. Patients with pre-existing ocular comorbidity, but for whom cataract surgery was still considered to be of potential visual benefit, for example if they were monocular, were offered surgery with a guarded prognosis. Informed consent was obtained …