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Volume of laser refractive surgery shows slight increase, according to survey

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Richard J. Duffey

ORLANDO, Fla. — A slight majority of refractive surgeons reported performing surface ablation last year and favored multifocal IOLs over accommodating IOLs, a survey showed.

Richard J. Duffey, MD, presented results of the 2011 International Society of Refractive Surgery online member survey during Refractive Subspecialty Day preceding the American Academy of Ophthalmology meeting here. The session on current trends in refractive surgery was sponsored by the ISRS.

About 12% of respondents reported performing more than 75 LASIK procedures per month, the benchmark for high-volume surgery that was defined more than 15 years ago.

"Surface ablation is a little bit on the increase and LASIK is still a little bit on the decline but not by all that much," Dr. Duffey said. "That seems to be contrary to what the industry is saying." Overall, laser vision correction volume increased 6% from 2010. The ratio of surface ablation to total laser vision correction procedures increased from 24% to 29%.

In 2011, 93% of respondents reported performing LASIK and 96% reported doing surface ablation.

Results showed that 37% of respondents performed five surface ablation procedures and 65% performed five LASIK procedures per month. Nine percent performed 25 surface ablation procedures and 28% performed 25 LASIK procedures per month. Fifty-three percent of respondents preferred a LASIK flap thickness of 100 microns and 41% preferred a flap thickness of 120 microns to 130 microns.

Thirty-two percent preferred a minimum residual stromal bed thickness of 250 microns; 23% preferred a minimum thickness of 275 microns; 39% preferred a minimum thickness of 300 microns; and 64% preferred a minimum thickness of 275 microns. Disclosure: Dr. Duffey has no relevant financial disclosures.

• Disclosure: Dr. Duffey has no relevant financial disclosures.