Preoperative Vision and Surgeon Volume as Predictors of Visual Outcomes after Cataract Surgery. 2019

Bobeck S Modjtahedi, and Michaela M Hull, and John L Adams, and Stephen J Munz, and Tiffany Q Luong, and Donald S Fong
Department of Ophthalmology, Southern California Permanente Medical Group, Baldwin Park, California; Eye Monitoring Center, Kaiser Permanente Southern California, Baldwin Park, California; Department of Research and Evaluation, Southern California Permanente Medical Group, Pasadena, California. Electronic address: BobModj@gmail.com.

To evaluate the relationship between preoperative vision and surgeon volume with visual outcomes after cataract surgery. Retrospective cohort study. Patients aged ≥18 years old enrolled in the Kaiser Permanente Southern California Health Plan who underwent cataract surgery by nontrainee surgeons. Patients who underwent cataract surgery between January 1, 2013 and December 31, 2015, were included. A multivariate analysis using Generalized Additive Mixed Models was performed to determine the relationship between surgeon volume and postoperative visual acuity after controlling for patient age, preoperative visual acuity, history of diabetes, and history of diabetic retinopathy. Modeling was done for the relationship between preoperative vision and visual outcomes while controlling for surgeon volume, patient age, history of diabetes, and history of diabetic retinopathy. Absolute letter change and percentage of patients to achieve ≥5 Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) letter gain postoperatively. There were 103 920 cataract surgeries performed by 136 surgeons included in this analysis. Patients whose surgeons performed <91.0 surgeries/year (95% confidence interval [CI], 61.1-139; P < 0.05) gained fewer letters postoperatively than the overall average, whereas those whose surgeons performed >91 but <227 surgeries/year (95% CI, 169-∞; P < 0.05) gained more letters than average. Although statistically significant, the difference between the lowest and highest performing surgeons was approximately 1.25 letters. Surgeons who performed <110 surgeries/year (95% CI, 81.7-149; P < 0.05) had fewer patients who gained ≥5 letters. Surgeons who performed >110 but <293 surgeries/year (95% CI, 232-∞; P < 0.05) were approximately 15% more likely to have patients who gained ≥5 letters. Patients with preoperative vision <74.7 letters (95% CI, 74.7-74.8; P < 0.05) and <75.8 letters (95% CI, 75.8-75.9; P < 0.05) gained more letters and were more likely to gain ≥5 letters postoperatively, respectively. Patients whose vision is approximately 20/32 or worse are more likely to have significant visual gains after cataract surgery. Although statistically significant differences exist in postoperative vision based on surgeon volume, these do not appear to be clinically meaningful. Overall, visual outcomes are functionally comparable across a wide range of surgeon volumes.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D008875 Middle Aged An adult aged 45 - 64 years. Middle Age
D011184 Postoperative Period The period following a surgical operation. Period, Postoperative,Periods, Postoperative,Postoperative Periods
D002387 Cataract Extraction The removal of a cataractous CRYSTALLINE LENS from the eye. Enzymatic Zonulolysis,Phakectomy,Cataract Extractions,Enzymatic Zonulolyses,Extraction, Cataract,Extractions, Cataract,Phakectomies,Zonulolyses, Enzymatic,Zonulolysis, Enzymatic
D003930 Diabetic Retinopathy Disease of the RETINA as a complication of DIABETES MELLITUS. It is characterized by the progressive microvascular complications, such as ANEURYSM, interretinal EDEMA, and intraocular PATHOLOGIC NEOVASCULARIZATION. Diabetic Retinopathies,Retinopathies, Diabetic,Retinopathy, Diabetic
D005260 Female Females
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000293 Adolescent A person 13 to 18 years of age. Adolescence,Youth,Adolescents,Adolescents, Female,Adolescents, Male,Teenagers,Teens,Adolescent, Female,Adolescent, Male,Female Adolescent,Female Adolescents,Male Adolescent,Male Adolescents,Teen,Teenager,Youths
D000328 Adult A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available. Adults
D000368 Aged A person 65 years of age or older. For a person older than 79 years, AGED, 80 AND OVER is available. Elderly

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