UNLABELLED: With multifocal intraocular lenses, the majority of the patients do not wear glasses after cataract surgery which is a potential source of savings. PURPOSE: To collect data in four European countries on the associated costs for society of wearing spectacles after cataract surgery and the patient willingness to pay to be free of spectacles. METHODS: Cross-sectional survey of centers that recruited patients who wore refractive spectacles after cataract surgery. Costs were expressed in 2006 Euros Results: 408 patients were recruited by 22 centers. Patients with a mean age of 68.5 years underwent cataract surgery about 3 years prior to recruitment. In all countries, prescribed lenses were mainly mono-focal and the mean cost of spectacles was EUR366.3. Half the patient population with private health insurance was reimbursed for spectacles at a level of 50%, except Spanish patients who were reimbursed at only 5.3%. However, a large part of the cost was directly paid by the patients. Out of a total mean cost of EUR354.9, patients paid EUR285.2 and health insurances only EUR69.7. More than half the patients were willing to pay at least 0.5EUR/day to be free of spectacles. CONCLUSION: Large differences were found among the 4 countries. Almost half of all subjects had private health insurance. The total cost of refraction includes a variety of resources not limited to spectacles. A large part of the cost was borne by patients and there is a high patient willingness to pay to be free of spectacles in this population.
UNLABELLED: With multifocal intraocular lenses, the majority of the patients do not wear glasses after cataract surgery which is a potential source of savings. PURPOSE: To collect data in four European countries on the associated costs for society of wearing spectacles after cataract surgery and the patient willingness to pay to be free of spectacles. METHODS: Cross-sectional survey of centers that recruited patients who wore refractive spectacles after cataract surgery. Costs were expressed in 2006 Euros Results: 408 patients were recruited by 22 centers. Patients with a mean age of 68.5 years underwent cataract surgery about 3 years prior to recruitment. In all countries, prescribed lenses were mainly mono-focal and the mean cost of spectacles was EUR366.3. Half the patient population with private health insurance was reimbursed for spectacles at a level of 50%, except Spanish patients who were reimbursed at only 5.3%. However, a large part of the cost was directly paid by the patients. Out of a total mean cost of EUR354.9, patients paid EUR285.2 and health insurances only EUR69.7. More than half the patients were willing to pay at least 0.5EUR/day to be free of spectacles. CONCLUSION: Large differences were found among the 4 countries. Almost half of all subjects had private health insurance. The total cost of refraction includes a variety of resources not limited to spectacles. A large part of the cost was borne by patients and there is a high patient willingness to pay to be free of spectacles in this population.