Reduce ophthalmic waste by changing how eye drops are used
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SAN FRANCISCO — Ophthalmologists can reduce unnecessary waste by changing the way they use topical drops, according to a speaker at the American Academy of Ophthalmology meeting.
“We know that prescription drugs make up a sizeable proportion of U.S. health care costs,” Annie M. Wu, MD, said. “Cataract surgery has a significant financial burden thanks to the sheer volume of surgeries we perform every year.”
Wu said cataract surgery accounts for $3.4 billion annually in the U.S. alone, or about 12% of all Medicare spending.
The carbon footprint of cataract surgery can vary based on institution. Wu said one study found that the average phacoemulsification surgery in the United Kingdom had the same carbon footprint as driving 500 km, the distance from San Francisco to Los Angeles. Meanwhile, one average surgery at Aravind Eye Hospital generated the same carbon footprint as driving 23 km.
“So, a very stark difference, and a large proportion of this difference is accounted for in drug waste,” Wu said.
A study of four surgical sites in the United States found that each year there was more than $195,000 worth of unused cataract surgery products per site. Additionally, more than 65% of eye drops went unused.
To reduce pharmaceutical waste in ophthalmology, Wu suggested that each bottle should be used on multiple patients.
“We know from prior studies that proper reuse of eye medication bottles on multiple patients does not actually contribute to increased rates of endophthalmitis,” she said. “The OICS Task Force OR waste survey found that over half of surgeons surveyed are not currently using multidose medications on multiple patients, owing in large part to institution regulations.”
Other measures that could help reduce waste include using multidose drops until their expiration date and allowing patients to take home partially used medication from the OR.
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Wu AM. Needless drug waste in ophthalmology. Presented at: American Academy of Ophthalmology meeting; Nov. 3-6, 2023; San Francisco.
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