Author’s Disclosure Block: Diana L. Martinez: none; Angelica Hanna: none; Grant Luke: none; Iqbal Ike K. Ahmed: Consultant – AbbVie, Ace Vision, Alcon, Aliph Medical, Aquea Health, Inc, ArcScan, Avellino Lab USA, Inc, Avisi, Balance Ophthalmics, Bausch and Lomb, Beaver Visitec, Belkin Vision, Bionode, Carl Zeiss, Centricity Vision, Inc, CorNeat Vision, Custom Surgical, Elios Vision, ElutiMed, eyeFlow, Inc, Eye to Eye TeleHealth, EyeMed, EyeQ Technologies, Exhaura Limited, Glaukos, Gore, Hexiris Pharma, Iantrek, InjectSense, Iridex, iCare, iStar, Johnson & Johnson Vision, LayerBio, Liqid Medical, Long Bridge Medical, Inc, Medicontur, MST Surgical, Myra Vision, New World Medical, Nova Eye, Ocular Instruments, Ocular Therapeutix, Oculus Surgical, OcuSciences, Omega Ophthalmics, Peripherex, PolyActiva, PulseMedica, Radiance Therapeutics, Inc, Radius XR, Rheon Medical SA, Ripple Therapeutics, Sanoculis, Santen, Singapore Biodesign, Shifamed, LLC, Sight Sciences, Smartlens, Inc, Stroma, Thea Pharma, TFS Health Science, ViaLase, Visci Ltd, Visus Therapeutics, Vizzario, Zilia, Inc; Honoraria – Alcon, Bionode, Carl Zeiss, CorNeat Vision, Elios Vision, Eye to Eye TeleHealth, Glaukos, Gore, Johnson & Johnson Vision, Myra Vision, New World Medical, Santen; Research support – AbbVie, Alcon, Bionode, CorNeat Vision, Elios Vision, EyeQ Technologies, Glaukos, Gore, iCare, iStar, Johnson & Johnson Vision, New World Medical, Santen.; Joshua Teichman: Consultant – Aequus, Alcon, Allergan, Bausch and Lomb, Novartis, Thea Pharma; Advisory Board – Aequus, Alcon, Allergan, Labtician Thea, Novartis, Santen, Shire, Sun Pharma, Thea Pharma; Grant Support – Alcon; Research Support – Bausch and Lomb

Abstract Body
Purpose: To retrospectively analyze the utility and impact of virtual first postoperative visit (day 0 or 1) after cataract surgery on patient outcomes. Study Design: Retrospective study Methods: Medical records from patients who underwent cataract surgery and received a same or next day follow-up virtual telephone call were analyzed. Patients were given a written pamphlet of symptoms to report if they were to occur and contact information. Patient-reported issues and symptoms during the call were recorded. Unplanned and emergency room visits prior to the postoperative week one (POW1) in-person visit were reviewed. Complications identified during the POW1 in-person visit were evaluated. The potential for permanent vision loss from not having an immediate in-person visit was assessed. Results: Preliminary reviewincluded1135 cataract surgeries, ofthese,953(84%) were unoneateral, and 182 (16%) wereimmediatesequential bilateral.The majorityof patients werefemale (55%)and the average agewas71.3±9.5years.88%of patientsanswered the callfor the virtual postoperative assessment.Most patients (96%) reported no surgery-related issues during the call, while4%reported symptoms.Themaincomplaints were mild blurriness and headachein 2.3% and0.4% ofcases, respectively. One patient reported multiple episodes of vomiting and was brought for an in-person visit; no issues were found.Four patients (0.4%)called to be seen sooner, all were virtually assessed, and two
were brought in for an urgent visit with no concerning issues found in any patient.During the first week post-surgery,no patients went for an unscheduled urgent in-person appointment either in clinic or to the ER.All patients, including those not reached initially, had a routine POW1 visit. At this visit, 97% had no issues; 0.9% had issues that required no further treatment or were already on treatment (retained cortical fragment 0.3%, epithelial defect 0.1%, corneal edema 0.5%) of which all resolved; 1.8% had issues that required starting new treatment at this visit, with no cases worsened by delayed treatment (elevated IOP 1.5%, retinal tears 0.3%); 0.1% had an issue where it is uncertain whether earlier treatment would have affected the outcome (retinal detachment in 1 patient, undetermined if present preoperatively), and 0% cases where omission of an in person visit definitively resulted in permanent damage due to delayed treatment. Conclusions: In this pilot study of over 1000 eyes, replacing an in-person postoperative visit within the first 24 hours with a virtual appointment demonstrated high patient engagement and a low incidence of complications or vision loss. Remote follow-up appears to be a viable alternative. Larger studies are needed to evaluate the feasibility of virtual consultations after cataract surgery.