History and Objectives: Since little information is available on the various type of eye diseases and reasons for hospitalization at eye medical centers and its effect on the educational-therapeutic management and in order to study the patients admitted to ophthalmology department of Matini hospital of Kashan, the present investigation was carried on 4291 patients during 1991-1996.

Material and Methods: The study was performed on existing data. Age, sex type of illness (Or reason for referral), urban or rural residence, type of treatment (Therapeutic or surgical) and type of insurance and data of hospitalization were recorded.

Results: From 4291 patients, 48.5% were males (2083 patients) and 51.5% were females (2208 patients). The most prevalent age group was 58±9. Cataract and retinal detachment were highest and lowest type of diseases (69% and 0.9% respectively). 67.2% of patients were urban residents and the rest were rural inhabitants. Majority of patients (89%) received surgical treatments and 11% received drug treatment. Tamin Ejtemai health insurance was the dominant type of insurance (45.6%) and Committee Emdad Imam Khomeini, private insurance and non-insured patients covered other cases. The largest job group was housewives (47%) and children formed the less frequent group (5%). From 1991 through 1996 the number patients referred to the hospital was no the rise.

Conclusion: The most prevalent reason for hospitalization was cataract and majority of such cases were above 40 years of age. Trauma, strabism, canaliculitis, glaucoma and retinal detachment were the most prevalent type of illness after cataract. With increasing age, the prevalence of cataract, glaucoma and retinal detachment also increases and the prevalence of eye trauma decreases. Further study on the causes of illnesses, change in insurance coverage and duration of hospitalization and comparison of hospitalization and short stay treatment in needed.