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Delayed second-eye cataract surgery increases costs, diminishes value for patients
Acta Ophthalmol. 2009;87(1):33-38.
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Delayed sequential cataract surgery proved more expensive in costs and provided diminished value to patients than immediate sequential cataract surgery.
The study authors aimed to assess the value for patients undergoing immediate sequential cataract surgery and delayed sequential cataract surgery. They studied routines and resource usage among 17 patients undergoing immediate surgery and 80 patients undergoing delayed surgery at a clinic in Sweden.
Costs were drawn from published data. Value for patients was based on benefit data derived from a patient questionnaire.
In the delayed surgery group, cataract surgery on both eyes of one patient was 1.14 times more expensive than in the immediate surgery group. In terms of surgical costs and diminished value, delayed surgery was 14% more expensive.
"The value to the patient of undergoing [immediate surgery] depended on the time between first- and second-eye surgery in [delayed surgery] and the remaining lifetime after both-eye surgery," the authors said. "A long waiting time for second-eye surgery