[Difficulties in access to treatment for patients undergoing cataract surgery in public and private health systems].

Purpose: To identify the difficulties in access to diagnosis and treatment of cataract in patients attended during a cataract campaign.

Methods: A questionnaire was administered to patients selected for cataract surgery. We evaluated, among others, the following variables: prior access to ophthalmologists (public or private), reason(s) for not having surgery early in the initial service, the average cost charged by cataract surgery and intraocular lens (IOL) (private services and agreements).