Manitobans see red over huge cataract surgery backlog

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This article was published 07/01/2022 (1363 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Wilson Anderson’s dream of retirement included reading, taking university courses, volunteering for charities and walking his dogs.

Instead, he has spent a year waiting for cataract surgery.

“Sitting and staring out a window, quite seriously, is all I can do,” said the 66-year-old Anderson during a news conference Friday.

“My independence has been severely impacted due to all these vision issues. I find walking, cooking, taking medication, navigating stairs and steps safely, are very difficult to me.”

He is far from alone.

Doctors Manitoba said on Friday 4,945 Manitobans have had their cataract surgeries called off during the pandemic — and there was a backlog even before that. Delayed cataract surgeries are part of Doctors Manitoba’s estimated backlog of 152,116 surgical and diagnostic procedures delayed during the pandemic.

Doctors Manitoba said on Friday 4,945 Manitobans have had their cataract surgeries called off during the pandemic.

The organization pointed to statistics compiled by the Canadian Institute for Health Information, which show Manitoba leads the country in the worst way: the number of cataract and lens surgeries dropped 44 per cent from March 2020 to June 2021, compared with pre-pandemic numbers.

Nationally, the reduction for that category of surgeries during that time was 22 per cent.

Alberta fared the best, with a two per cent reduction. Newfoundland Labrador and Ontario experienced reductions of 39 per cent and 33 per cent, respectively.

Anderson said his cataracts have put his physical safety at risk.

“In December 2021, I had a severe fall outside where I split my lip, cut up my face, and broke a pair of glasses — all because I have problems looking and seeing the distance of steps and curbs.”

Dr. Jennifer Rahman, an ophthalmologist and president of Eye Physicians and Surgeons of Manitoba, said the pandemic has made the backlog severe.

Rahman said at Misericordia — the province’s main eye surgical centre — about 8,900 cataract surgeries have been performed amid the pandemic, a drop of about 46 per cent from pre-pandemic levels.

She said 4,300 procedures were shifted to the private Western Surgical Centre, but not all patients can go there.

“Patients who have more complex cataracts and multiple medical problems are preferentially booked to have surgery at Misericordia or other public facilities,” she said.

“These surgeries are expected to be longer, more difficult, and may carry more anaesthetic risk.”

As well, Rahman said delays can mean cataracts become denser and take more time for surgery and recovery.

“In December 2021, I had a severe fall outside where I split my lip, cut up my face, and broke a pair of glasses– all because I have problems looking and seeing the distance of steps and curbs.” – Wilson Anderson

Misericordia has also lost specialized opthalmology nurses during the pandemic “to retirement, sick leave, or other jobs.

“All surgeries at Misericordia Health Centre have been drastically reduced by closing three out of the five full-time operating rooms… there was a significant backlog before the pandemic and now it has significantly gotten worse. We need ongoing increased funding to address this backlog now and in future.”

Rahman said for a province with a population of Manitoba’s size, 15,000 cataract surgeries should be performed every year.

“We should have 7.9 surgeons per 100,000 patients and in Manitoba we have just over two per 100,000 patients,” she said.

“We are at the bottom of the provinces.”

“All surgeries at Misericordia Health Centre have been drastically reduced by closing three out of the five full-time operating rooms.” – Ophthalmologist Dr. Jennifer Rahman

A spokesman for the provincial government said “the province launched a task force last month to address diagnostic and surgical backlogs and is actively reviewing all areas that have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The first regular update is expected later this month.”

Anderson said in just one month — last January 2021 — he went from being able to see to having cloudy vision, poor night vision, and impaired colour vision.

“I normally read three books a week,” he said. “Now, I can’t read properly.”

Anderson said he has also had to pull out of some of the university courses and drop volunteer work.

It has even affected the care of his two Pomeranians.

“I walk my dogs five to seven times a day and I have to be very careful in doing that,” said Anderson. “I no longer do five to seven walks, I do two walks if they’re lucky and I only do them during the daytime and if there is no snow… I still don’t know when I will be able to get cataract surgery and be able to go back to a normal life.

“I can’t express how frustrating it is.”

kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca