Primary Care Provider Familiarity and Compliance With Preferred Practice Patterns for Comprehensive Eye Examinations.

PURPOSE: To assess primary care practitioners' (PCPs) familiarity with American Academy of Ophthalmology Preferred Practice Pattern (PPP) guidelines on the frequency of comprehensive eye examinations (CEEs), and to explore their opinions and practices on counseling and referring patients for CEEs. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. METHODS: Between February 1, 2019, and June 25, 2019, an anonymous survey was emailed to clinicians holding an MD, DO, PA, or NP degree, and residents at Brigham and Women's Hospital and the University of Oklahoma. Descriptive statistics of participants' responses were reported. RESULTS: Regarding patient counseling on CEEs, 15.4% of PCPs reported "always," 48.1% "usually," and 36.5% "seldom" or "never" doing so. Few PCPs (11.1%) reported being able to describe the guidelines, and 63.9% were unaware of their existence. A strong majority of PCPs (90.7%) correctly referred a type 2 diabetic patient at their time of diagnosis, but a similar majority (77.8%) prematurely referred a newly diagnosed type 1 diabetic patient. One in 7 PCPs (13.4%) would refer a patient with family history of glaucoma only upon developing visual/ocular symptoms. Compared to other providers, PAs/NPs were more likely to recommend unnecessary CEEs for low-risk individuals (P = .009), whereas residents counseled patients less frequently (P = .003), were less likely to be familiar with PPP guidelines (P = .026), and were less likely to recommend appropriate follow-ups for patients with family history of glaucoma (P = .004). CONCLUSIONS: PCPs' awareness of and familiarity with AAO CEE guidelines is variable and improves with provider age and experience. Efforts to improve PCP guideline awareness may be especially well suited to residents and mid-level practitioners.

Surgeons' perspectives on intraoperative gray area surgical complications of cataract surgery.

PURPOSE: To explore surgeons' perspectives and practice patterns in gray area surgical complications (GASCs) within cataract surgery. SETTING: Tertiary care academic referral center. DESIGN: Retrospective observational cross-sectional study. METHODS: An anonymous, online survey consisting of 11 potential intraoperative GASC scenarios was developed and distributed to practicing and resident ophthalmologists in the U.S. Demographic data such as gender, experience, and practice settings were recorded. Using a Likert scale, respondents scaled their perception of likelihood that a GASC could lead to postoperative complications and their obligation toward patient disclosure and documentation in the operative report. Respondents also scaled their likelihood of agreement with a series of statements inserted to assess baseline anxiety levels and inherent perspectives regarding disclosure. RESULTS: 389 responses were analyzed. Female surgeons were more likely than male surgeons to disclose GASCs to their patients and experience psychological anxiety regarding patient outcomes. Both early- and late-stage residents were more likely to believe that GASCs could lead to vision-limiting outcomes when compared with attending surgeons. Surgeons at academic centers were more likely than community-based surgeons to disclose GASCs in the operative report and experience psychological anxiety regarding patient outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Significant differences based on gender, practice setting, and level of experience exist in disclosure and documentation of intraoperative GASCs. Additional studies are needed to further explore reasons for these differences, as reporting patterns may affect patient satisfaction, medicolegal risks, and postoperative surgeon-experienced anxiety.

Refractive and keratometric outcomes of supervised novice surgeon-performed limbal relaxing incisions: 1-year results.

PURPOSE: To report refractive and keratometric astigmatism outcomes of resident-performed limbal relaxing incisions (LRIs) during cataract surgery. SETTING: Tertiary care academic teaching hospital. DESIGN: Retrospective case series. METHODS: The length, location, and number of LRIs were determined preoperatively using an online calculator. Variables studied were preoperative keratometry and postoperative uncorrected and corrected distance visual acuity, refraction, and keratometry at 1-month, 3-month, and 12-month visits (POM1, POM3, and POM12, respectively). Subgroup analysis was performed on amount and type of astigmatism. The astigmatism double-angle plot tool and analysis of with-the-wound (WtW) and against-the-wound (AtW) changes were used to assess the effect of astigmatism correction at POM1, POM3, and POM12 visits. RESULTS: In 118 eyes, a higher percentage of eyes demonstrated refractive astigmatism 0.25 diopter (D) or less, 0.50 D or less, 0.75D or less, and 1.0 D or less at POM1 and POM12 (all P < .05) compared with preoperative keratometric astigmatism. Subgroup analysis showed improvement in all groups and types of astigmatism (P < .01). Patients achieved a statistically significant reduction of keratometric astigmatism at POM1, POM3, and POM12 (all P ≤ .0001) relative to baseline, and changes differed significantly based on the preoperative amount of astigmatism (all P ≤ .0001, with greater reductions associated with higher baseline astigmatism) but not by location of the steep meridian. There were significant WtW-AtW changes at POM1, POM3, and POM12. Regression of effect after 1 month was approximately 0.11 D. CONCLUSIONS: Resident-performed LRIs achieved effective and sustained reduction of both refractive and keratometric astigmatism regardless of meridian or magnitude of astigmatism for at least 1 year postoperatively.

Healthcare disparities contribute to missed follow-up visits after cataract surgery in the USA: results from the perioperative care for intraocular lens study.

OBJECTIVE: To identify factors that contribute to missed cataract surgery follow-up visits, with an emphasis on socioeconomic and demographic factors. METHODS: In this retrospective cohort study, patients who underwent cataract extraction by phacoemulsification at Massachusetts Eye and Ear between 1 January and 31 December 2014 were reviewed. Second eye cases, remote and international patients, patients with foreign insurance and combined cataract cases were excluded. RESULTS: A total of 1931 cases were reviewed and 1089 cases, corresponding to 3267 scheduled postoperative visits, were included. Of these visits, 157 (4.8%) were missed. Three (0.3%) postoperative day 1, 40 (3.7%) postoperative week 1 and 114 (10.5%) postoperative month 1 visits were missed. Age<30 years (adjusted OR (aOR)=8.2, 95% CI 1.9 to 35.2) and ≥90 years (aOR=5.7, 95% CI 2.0 to 15.6) compared with patients aged 70-79 years, estimated travel time of >2 hours (aOR=3.2, 95% CI 1.4 to 7.4), smokers (aOR=2.7, 95% CI 1.6 to 4.8) and complications identified up to the postoperative visit (aOR=1.4, 95% CI 1.0 to 2.1) predicted a higher rate of missed visits. Ocular comorbidities (aOR=0.7, 95% CI 0.5 to 1.0) and previous visit best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) of 20/50-20/80 (aOR=0.4, 95% CI 0.3 to 0.7) and 20/90-20/200 (aOR=0.4, 95% CI 0.2 to 0.9), compared with BCVA at the previous visit of 20/40 or better, predicted a lower rate of missed visits. Gender, race/ethnicity, language, education, income, insurance, alcohol use and season of the year were not associated with missed visits. CONCLUSIONS: Medical factors and demographic characteristics, including patient age and distance from the hospital, are associated with missed follow-up visits in cataract surgery. Additional studies are needed to identify disparities in cataract postoperative care that are population-specific. This information can contribute to the implementation of policies and interventions for addressing them.

Surgical Curriculum for Presbyopia-Correcting Intraocular Lenses: Resident Experiences and Surgical Outcomes.

OBJECTIVE: To describe a stepwise surgical curriculum that was implemented to teach novice surgeons about currently available advanced technology intraocular lenses (ATIOLs) for correction of presbyopia and to report the experiences and surgical results of ATIOL surgery performed by residents who engaged in the curriculum. DESIGN SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Third-year ophthalmology residents participated in a curriculum incorporating didactic lectures (with objective assessment and wet-lab practice) and observation of attending-performed ATIOL surgeries prior to performing ATIOL surgery as primary surgeon under direct supervision. Post-operative outcomes studied were best corrected distance visual acuity (BCDVA) and uncorrected distance (UDVA), intermediate (UIVA) near (UNVA) visual acuity and correction of astigmatism with at least 3 months of follow-up (POM3+). Residents were also given a survey to assess experiences with the surgical curriculum, preparedness for use of ATIOLs post-residency, and ATIOL practice pattern post-residency. RESULTS: A total of 12 residents from four consecutive classes completed the curriculum. Residents overall had a favorable opinion of the curriculum and felt well prepared to use ATIOLs after training. Graduates who currently perform cataract surgery felt comfortable using all available ATIOLs. A total of 100 eyes from 72 patients met the inclusion criteria for analysis in the study. At the POM3+ timepoint, 88% of eyes had UDVA of 20/30 or better, 93% had UIVA of 20/30 or better, and 71.2% had UNVA of 20/30 (J2) or better. Among eyes that received an astigmatism-correcting ATIOL, 91% had <1 diopter of astigmatism after surgery. CONCLUSION: Resident surgeons learned to perform ATIOL surgery (medical knowledge) and achieve strong surgical outcomes (patient care) with all currently available ATIOLs after completion of a stepwise curriculum. Educators may be encouraged to incorporate an ATIOL curriculum based on the results of this study. The curriculum presented is a prototype and may be further improved with future experiences and studies.

Quantifying the educational benefit of additional cataract surgery cases in ophthalmology residency.

PURPOSE: To quantify the resident learning curve for cataract surgery using operative time as an indicator of surgical competency, to identify the case threshold at which marginal additional educational benefit became equivocal, and to characterize heterogeneity in residents' pathways to surgical competency. SETTING: Academic medical center. DESIGN: Large-scale retrospective consecutive case series. METHODS: All cataract surgery cases performed by resident physicians as primary surgeon at Massachusetts Eye and Ear from July 1, 2010, through June 30, 2015, were reviewed. Data were abstracted from Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education case logs and operative time measurements. A linear mixed-methods analysis was conducted to model changes in residents' cataract surgery operative times as a function of sequential case number, with resident identity included as a random effect in the model to normalize between-resident variability. RESULTS: A total of 2096 cases were analyzed. A marked progressive decrease in operative time was noted for resident cases 1 to 39 (mean change -0.17 minutes per additional case, 95% CI, -0.21 to -0.12; P < .001). A modest, steady reduction in operative time was subsequently noted for case numbers 40 to 149 (mean change -0.05 minutes per additional case, 95% CI, -0.07 to -0.04; P < .001). No statistically significant improvement was found in operative times beyond the 150th case. CONCLUSIONS: Residents derived educational benefit from performing a greater number of cataract procedures than current minimum requirements. However, cases far in excess of this threshold might have diminishing educational return in residency. Educational resources currently used for these cases might be more appropriately devoted to other training priorities.

Clinical factors affecting operating room utilization in cataract surgery: Results from the PCIOL study.

PURPOSE: To identify preoperative clinical characteristics affecting cataract surgery operative time. SETTING: Academic center. DESIGN: Large-scale retrospective cohort study. METHODS: All cases of cataract extraction by phacoemulsification and intraocular lens insertion performed by Comprehensive Ophthalmology at Massachusetts Eye and Ear between January 1, 2014, and December 31, 2014, were reviewed. Clinically relevant predictors of operative time were identified a priori, and a multivariate analysis was used to identify which predictors were associated with operative time. To quantify the surgeon effect, 2 regression models were built, one inclusive of surgeon identity and the other with years of experience and the training level of the supervised resident instead of identity. RESULTS: Overall, 1349 cataract surgeries in 1072 patients were included. The mean operative time was 22.1 ± 7.8 minutes. Multiple clinical factors were significantly associated with operative time, with attending surgeon identity being the most important. In the multivariate model with surgeon identity, longer operative time was associated with male sex, increased body mass index, first-eye surgery, left operative eye, advanced cataract, use of iris hooks, use of Malyugin ring, use of trypan blue, history of diabetic retinopathy, short axial length, and shallow anterior chamber depth. The R value for the model inclusive of attending identity was 0.42, significantly higher than the R value of 0.23 for the model exclusive of identity. CONCLUSION: Preoperative clinical characteristics, such as patient demographics, biometry data, and cataract severity, significantly correlate with operative time. Surgeon identity is highly correlated with operative time. Incorporating these results into predictive algorithms may allow for more predictable surgical scheduling and more efficient use of operative resources.

Optimization of cataract surgery follow-up: A standard set of questions can predict unexpected management changes at postoperative week one.

PURPOSE: There is limited evidence to inform the optimal follow-up schedule after cataract surgery. This study aims to determine whether a standardized question set can predict unexpected management changes (UMCs) at the postoperative week one (POW1) timepoint. SETTING: Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. METHODS: Two-hundred-and-fifty-four consecutive phacoemulsification cases having attended an examination between postoperative days 5-14. A set of 7 'Yes' or 'No' questions were administered to all participants by a technician at the POW1 visit. Patient answers along with perioperative patient information were recorded and analyzed. Outcomes were the incidence of UMCs at POW1. RESULTS: The incidence of UMCs was zero in uneventful cataract cases with unremarkable history and normal postoperative day one exam if no positive answers were given with the question set demonstrating 100% sensitivity (p<0.0001). A test version with 5 questions was equally sensitive in detecting UMCs at POW1 after cataract surgery. CONCLUSION: In routine cataract cases with no positive answers to the current set of clinical questions, a POW1 visit is unlikely to result in a management change. This result offers the opportunity for eye care providers to risk-stratify patients who have had cataract surgery and individualize follow-up.

Evaluation of computer-based retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) education for ophthalmology residents: a randomized, controlled, multicenter study.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of a computer-based training program-Massachusetts Eye & Ear ROP Trainer-on residents' knowledge of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) management. METHODS: In this prospective, randomized study, ophthalmology residents from nine different training programs consented to participate. Those who completed the study were randomly assigned to either the Trainer or the control group. The ROP Trainer was created using clinical cases encompassing the stages of ROP in digital pictures and videos. It includes sections on screening decisions, examination techniques, and diagnosis, and a reference section with the expert video clips and a searchable image library. Subjects in the control group were asked to study standard print material on ROP. A pre- and post-test, consisting of theoretical and practical (diagnosis) questions, and a post-intervention satisfaction test were administered. Accuracy of ROP diagnosis was assessed. RESULTS: A total of 180 residents agreed to participate, of whom 60 completed the study. Residents in the Trainer group had statistically significant improvements (P = 0.003) in ROP knowledge and diagnostic ability (P = 0.005). Residents randomized to the Trainer group were more satisfied with the training materials than were those in the control group. There was no significant difference in improving knowledge by year of training, sex, or country. Considering all training levels, a statistically significant increase was observed in sensitivity for the diagnosis of preplus or worse, zone I or II, ROP stage, category, and aggressive posterior ROP in the Trainer group. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, the Trainer was shown to significantly improve ROP knowledge and diagnostic skills of residents, regardless of sex, year, of training, or country.

Incidence of Management Changes at the Postoperative Week 1 Visit after Cataract Surgery: Results from the Perioperative Care for IntraOcular Lens Study.

PURPOSE: To ascertain the incidence of unexpected management changes at the postoperative week 1 visit in asymptomatic patients who have had an uncomplicated cataract surgery and a routine postoperative day 1 examination. DESIGN: Retrospective observational study. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was conducted of all cases of cataract extraction by phacoemulsification with intraocular lens insertion performed by the Comprehensive Ophthalmology Service at Massachusetts Eye and Ear between January 1, 2014 and December 31, 2014. The preoperative consultation, operative report, and postoperative day 1 and week 1 (postoperative days 5-14) visits were reviewed. Cases with intraoperative complications, as well as clinical findings at postoperative day 1 requiring close follow-up, were excluded. The main outcome measure was incidence of unexpected management changes at the postoperative week 1 visit after cataract surgery, defined as an unanticipated change in postoperative drops, additional procedures, or urgent referral to a specialty service. RESULTS: Overall, 1938 surgical cases of 1471 patients were reviewed, and 1510 cases (77.9%) underwent uncomplicated phacoemulsification with intraocular lens implantation with a routine postoperative day 1 examination. Of these 1510 cases, 238 (15.8%) reported symptoms at the postoperative week 1 visit, including flashes, floaters, redness, pain, or decreased vision, which warranted an examination. In total, 1272 cases were asymptomatic, and only 11 of these cases (0.9%) had an unexpected management change at postoperative week 1. Eight of 11 patients were asymptomatic steroid responders requiring alteration of their postoperative drops. Two of these patients had an intraocular pressure >30 mm Hg. CONCLUSIONS: Unexpected management changes at the postoperative week 1 timepoint after cataract surgery are rare in asymptomatic patients who have had uncomplicated cataract surgery and a routine postoperative day 1 examination. Limited data are available to outline an optimal postoperative regimen after cataract surgery. The results of this study suggest that postoperative week 1 examinations could potentially be performed on an as-needed basis in the appropriate subgroup of patients after cataract surgery.

A Comprehensive Surgical Curriculum Reduced Intra-operative Complication Rates of Resident-performed Cataract Surgeries.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the impact of a comprehensive cataract surgery curriculum on the incidence of intraoperative complications. DESIGN: We retrospectively compared the total number of cataract surgeries that the residents performed in all of the teaching sites, and the incidences of intraoperative complications (anterior capsule tear, posterior capsule rent, vitreous loss, anterior vitrectomy, zonular dialysis, iris trauma, hemorrhage, dropped lens fragment, corneal wound burn, incorrect intraocular lens) for the surgeries performed at Massachusetts Eye & Ear by residents in the pre-intervention group (residents graduating in 2004 and 2005), before the implementation of a surgical curriculum, and the residents in the post-intervention group (residents graduating in 2014 and 2015). SETTING: Ophthalmology residency program at a major academic institution. PARTICIPANTS: Residents graduating in 2004, 2005, 2014, and 2015. RESULTS: We reviewed 4373 charts. 2086 of those surgeries were performed at Massachusetts Eye & Ear. The incidence of posterior capsule rent/vitreous loss/anterior vitrectomy was lower in the post-intervention group (1.4% versus 7.7%, p < 0.0001). Other complications were also lower in the post-intervention group. CONCLUSIONS: Implementation of a comprehensive cataract surgery curriculum focusing on pre-operative, intra-operative and post-operative interventions, with an emphasis on patient outcomes resulted in a decrease in the rate of intraoperative complications.

Diabetic Retinopathy Assessment Variability Among Eye Care Providers in an Urban Teleophthalmology Program.

BACKGROUND: Teleophthalmology is an evidence-based method for diabetic eye screening. It is unclear whether the type of eye care provider performing teleophthalmology interpretation produces significant variability. INTRODUCTION: We assessed grading variability between an optometrist, general ophthalmologist, and retinal specialist using images from an urban, diabetic retinopathy teleophthalmology program. METHODS: Three readers evaluated digital retinal images in 100 cases (178 eyes from 90 patients with type 2 diabetes). Fisher's exact test, percent agreement, and the observed proportion of positive (Ppos) or negative agreement (Pneg) were used to assess variability. RESULTS: Among cases deemed gradable by all three readers (n = 65), there was substantial agreement on absence of any retinopathy (88% ± 4.6%, Pneg = 0.91-0.95), presence of moderate nonproliferative or worse retinopathy (87% ± 3.9%, Ppos = 0.67-1.00), and presence of macular edema (99% ± 0.9%, Ppos = 0.67-1.00). There was limited agreement regarding presence of referable nondiabetic eye pathology (61% ± 11%, Ppos = 0.21-0.59) and early, nonroutine referral for a follow-up clinical eye exam (66% ± 8.1%, Ppos = 0.19-0.54). Among all cases (n = 100), there was acceptable agreement regarding which had gradable images (77% ± 5.0%, Ppos = 0.50-0.90). DISCUSSION: Inclusion of multiple types of eye care providers as teleophthalmology readers is unlikely to produce significant variability in the assessment of diabetic retinopathy among high-quality images. Greater variability was found regarding image gradability, nondiabetic eye pathology, and recommended clinical referral times. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that more extensive training and uniform referral standards are needed to improve consensus on image gradability, referable nondiabetic eye pathology, and recommended clinical referral times.

Outcomes in resident-performed cataract surgeries with iris challenges: Results from the Perioperative Care for Intraocular Lens study.

PURPOSE: To assess the outcomes of resident-performed cataract surgeries with iris challenges and to compare these outcomes with similar surgeries performed by attending surgeons. SETTING: Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. DESIGN: Retrospective chart review. METHODS: All cases of cataract extraction by phacoemulsification with intraocular lens implantation, performed by comprehensive ophthalmologists between January 1 and December 31, 2014, were reviewed. Cases with preoperative or intraoperative miosis, iris prolapse, and intraoperative floppy iris syndrome, were included for analysis. Visual outcomes and the rate of perioperative adverse events were compared between resident and attending surgeon cases. Factors predicting adverse events were also assessed. RESULTS: In total, 1931 eye cases of 1434 patients were reviewed, and 65 resident cases and 168 attending surgeon cases were included. The mean logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution corrected distance visual acuity was better in the resident group 1 month after surgery (0.051 ± 0.10 [SD] versus 0.132 ± 0.30, P = .03); however, the difference was eliminated when controlling for macular disease. The mean operative time was 43.8 ± 26.5 minutes and 30.9 ± 12.6 minutes for cases performed by resident surgeons and attending surgeons, respectively (P  .0001). Residents utilized supplemental pharmacologic dilation or retraction more frequently than attending surgeons (98% versus 87% of cases, P = .008). The overall rate of adverse events was no different between residents and attending surgeons (P = 0.16). Dense nuclear sclerosis predicted adverse events in cataract cases with iris challenges (adjusted odds ratio, 1.86; 95% confidence interval, 1.17-2.94; P = .001). CONCLUSION: Although requiring longer operative times and more surgical manipulation, residents who performed cataract surgeries with iris challenges achieved outcomes comparable to those performed by attending surgeons, and residents should be given the opportunity to operate on these eyes.

Communication Skills Training in Ophthalmology: Results of a Needs Assessment and Pilot Training Program.

OBJECTIVE: To conduct a needs assessment to identify gaps in communication skills training in ophthalmology residency programs and to use these results to pilot a communication workshop that prepares residents for difficult conversations. DESIGN: A mixed-methods design was used to perform the needs assessment. A pre-and postsurvey was administered to workshop participants. SETTING: Mass Eye and Ear Infirmary, Harvard Medical School (HMS), Department of Ophthalmology. PARTICIPANTS: HMS ophthalmology residents from postgraduate years 2-4 participated in the needs assessment and the workshop. Ophthalmology residency program directors in the United States participated in national needs assessment. METHODS: Ophthalmology program directors across the United States were queried on their perception of resident communication skills training through an online survey. A targeted needs assessment in the form of a narrative exercise captured resident perspectives on communication in ophthalmology from HMS residents. A group of HMS residents participated in the pilot workshop and a pre- and postsurvey was administered to participants to assess its effectiveness. RESULTS: The survey of program directors yielded a response rate of 40%. Ninety percent of respondents agreed that the communication skills training in their programs could be improved. Fifteen of 24 residents (62%) completed the needs assessment. Qualitative analysis of the narrative material revealed four themes; (1) differing expectations, (2) work role and environment, (3) challenges specific to ophthalmology, and (4) successful strategies adopted. Nine residents participated in the workshop. There was a significant improvement post-workshop in resident reported scores on their ability to manage their emotions during difficult conversations (p = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: There is an opportunity to improve communication skills training in ophthalmology residency through formalized curriculum.

Prosthetic Replacement of the Ocular Surface Ecosystem Treatment of Ocular Surface Disease After Skull Base Tumor Resection.

BACKGROUND: Prosthetic replacement of the ocular surface ecosystem (PROSE) treatment is an effective, nonsurgical therapeutic option for patients with ocular surface disease related to cranial nerve deficits secondary to skull base tumor resection. METHODS: This case series describes the impact of PROSE treatment in patients with symptomatic exposure keratopathy or neurotrophic keratitis after skull base tumor surgery. RESULTS: All patients improved symptomatically and functionally with PROSE treatment, and have had sustained improvement for as long as 3 years. CONCLUSIONS: In postneurosurgical cases in which neurologic function may recover, PROSE treatment offers a safe, nonsurgical treatment option to support the ocular surface during the period of observation awaiting neurologic recovery.