Relationship between the pent-up demand for ophthalmology at SUS de Canoinhas – SC and the services provided at the University Eye Health Clinic (CUSV)

Abstract

The increasing difficulty of access to the public service in the area of ocular health is a reality in Brazilian municipalities. The pent-up demand of patients waiting for an eye care or surgical procedure can take years due to the lack of vacancies due to insufficient professionals.In this way, primary eye care, related to refreative error, could be carried out by optometrists, in turn allowing cataract surgery to be covered at secondary level in the Unified Health System (SUS.With the aim of identifying the relationship between the care provided by the University Visual Health Clinic (CUSV)on the pent-up demand in ophthalmology in the Unified Health System (SUS) in Canoinhas in the period from March 2021 to 2022, a retrospective, descriptive and quantitative study was carried out, using sources such as the Department of Informatics of the Unified Health System (DATASUS); the CUSV, the Municipal Polyclinic Dr. Mario Mussi, the Municipal Clínic, the Intermunicipal Health Consortium of the Contestado Region (CISAMURC), and the Canoinhas Health Department. The results showed a decrease in the repressed demand in ophthalmology in the SUS of Canoinhas (5.48%), the highest pent-up demand  in the SUS was in patients over 60 years old (36.77%); with a waiting list for cataract surgery of up to five years. The impact of optometry care in Canoinhas was observed since the demand  was met at CUSV; reducing the waiting list and the number of patients to be treated at a secondary level of care, proper to the ophthalmologist.

Keywords: Optometry; Ocular Health; Regional Development.