[The Influence of Intravitreal Injections on Outpatient Cataract Operations in Germany]. / Der Einfluss der intravitrealen Injektionen auf die ambulante Intraokularchirurgie in Deutschland.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The number of outpatient operations in Germany is not registered in a centralised manner. To estimate the development of the outpatient intraocular surgery especially since the implementation of the intravitreal injections, surveys among ophthalmic surgeons were analysed. METHODS: Between 2006 and 2013 surveys were done among ophthalmic surgeons in Germany using questionnaires. An average of 318 completed questionnaires were sent back. The mean participation ratio was 37 %. RESULTS: Between 2006 and 2013 an extrapolated mean of 347 564 cataract operations and 139 946 intravitreal injections were reported. Whereas the number of cataract operations was constant in the observation period, the number of injections increased considerably from 35 135 in 2006 to 274 714 in 2013. CONCLUSION: A saturation in the development of the numbers of the intravitreal injections could not yet be observed. Other outpatient operations, especially cataract procedures were not replaced by the increase of the injections in the recent years.