Table 1

Cost composition and calculation of management of complications

Rural settings (US$/person)Urban settings (US$/person)
Direct medical costs*Direct non-medical costs†Indirect costs‡Societal costs per personDirect medical costs*Direct non-medical costsIndirect costs‡Societal costs per person
Vitrectomy26771245743375267727843463
Suprachoroidal haemorrhage drainage575124827815752112689
Bleb leak revision707124829137072112720
Penetrating keratoplasty54111245746109541127846197
Endothelial keratoplasty45601245745258456027845346
Tube revision or reinforcement606124828126062112720
Correction of strabismus13801245742078138027842166
Anterior chamber irrigation560056560056
  • We considered both direct and indirect costs from a social perspective. All costs were collected in Chinese yuan and converted into US dollars according to the average exchange rate in 2021 (¥6.45 to US$1). Costs were discounted at 3.5% per annum.

  • *Direct costs consist of direct medical costs and direct non-medical costs. Patients undergoing vitrectomy, penetrating keratoplasty, endothelial keratoplasty and correction of strabismus need to be hospitalised for 7 days. Patients undergoing suprachoroidal haemorrhage drainage, bleb leak revision and tube revision or reinforcement only need to be hospitalised for 1 day. Patients with IOP spike caused by massive hyphema received anterior chamber irrigation during hospitalisation.

  • †Direct non-medical costs includes food, transportation and accommodation expenses for patients and one family member.

  • ‡The human capital method was used to calculate indirect costs such as wage loss of patients and family members in the process of disease diagnosis and treatment.

  • IOP, intraocular pressure.