The hospital case notes of 209 (98%) of the 213 patients placed on an adult ophthalmic surgical waiting list between mid 1984 and mid 1985 were reviewed. Information on referral sources, previous eye surgery, outpatient visits, and treatment up to the end of 1987 was recorded. The vital status of patients up to the end of 1988 was also ascertained. Waiting list patients (123 women, 86 men) were elderly (73% over 65 years) and most (70%) were listed for cataract surgery. By the end of 1987 (30-42 months after waiting list entry) 64% of all patients (and 56% of cataract patients) had received surgery under the care of the health authority. The remainder had either died (12%), received surgery elsewhere (7%), were still on the waiting list (7%), no longer wanted or were unfit for surgery (6%), or had left the district (4%). By the end of 1988 (42-54 months after waiting list entry) 28% of the original waiting list population had died.
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