Cataract Surgery News

With reimbursement decreasing and the number and price of ophthalmic instruments ever increasing, all providers have to be conscious of limiting tests to those that reliably improve both patient care and outcomes.

Patients with nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy, macular edema and cataract had superior outcomes when treated with the DEX-I intravitreal implant and phacoemulsification compared with patients treated with phacoemulsification alone.

Dysphotopsias are a common complaint at the 1-day cataract post-op, and yet they can be frustrating to both patient and practitioner. The exam reveals a standard surgery, and the patient couldn’t be more convinced that something is wrong.

Secondary glaucoma was a common complication with bimodal incidence following pediatric cataract surgery, according to a study published in the American Journal of Ophthalmology.

Patients who underwent cataract surgery combined with the Glaukos iStent inject had significantly improved vision-related quality of life, including ocular pain relief, compared with those who underwent cataract surgery alone.

Many of us cite the statistic that cataract surgery is over 95% successful, meaning that most patients will have better vision. However, that statistic alone doesn’t describe the unexpected journey some will have to join the 95%.

The Vision Council’s 2019 VisionWatch Cataract Report conducted in December indicated that cataract procedures would increase annually over the next several years.

The AAO announced its decision to host this year’s meeting, renamed Academy 2020 At Home, on an online platform.

Combined treatment of cataract surgery with iStent or iStent inject trabecular bypass stent showed benefits to the ocular surface and overall improvement in ocular surface disease.

Consistent and comprehensive communication between optometrists and ophthalmologists will always be the key to successful comanagement of cataract patients.