Practice patterns of the Canadian Ophthalmological Society members in cataract surgery

Authors: Lindsay Ong‐Tone, Regina Qu'Appelle Health Region.

Author Disclosures: Lindsay Ong‐Tone: None

Abstract Body: 

Purpose: This will be the fifteenth annual survey on the practice patterns of the Canadian Ophthalmological Society (COS) members in cataract surgery. 

Study Design: Web based

Methods: This survey will be conducted in January 2023 when an e‐mail with a link to Red Cap will be sent to all the COS members who have indicated that their practice focus is on Cataract and Intraocular lens (IOL) implant. Two reminder e‐mails will be sent at 2 weeks interval. 

Results: In 2022, most of the respondents (90.3%) used a checklist prior to cataract surgery. Of these, 54.5% volunteered to catching potential errors by doing so. With regards to the eyedrops used postoperatively, the use of an NSAID only (7.9%) has stayed much the same over the years while the use of a steroid only (14.3%) has been decreasing with a corresponding increase in the use of a combination NSAID and steroid eyedrops (73%). The most popular lens formula was the Barrett Universal II (66.1%). 73% of the respondents corrected astigmatism at the time of cataract surgery. The majority (93.5%) used a Toric IOL to do so. 46.8% of the respondents aimed for monovision following cataract surgery. 41.4% aimed for a difference of 1.50D between the two eyes. Presbyopia correcting lenses were used by 66.7% of the respondents. However, 88.1% did so for up to 20% of the time. 76.2% of the respondents would see their patients on the first day following cataract surgery, while 15.9% would do so on the same day and 7.9% at one week. 

Conclusions: This annual survey has highlighted some trends in the practice patterns of the Canadian Ophthalmological Society members in cataract surgery and gives the membership valuable information as to how their peers are practicing.