The Royal College of Ophthalmologists' National ophthalmology database study of cataract surgery: Report 14, cohort analysis - the impact of CapsuleGuard® utilisation on cataract surgery posterior capsule rupture rates.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate whether the use of the silicone tipped irrigation/aspiration (I/A) handpiece CapsuleGuard® (Bausch + Lomb, Laval, Canada) reduced rates of posterior capsule rupture (PCR) during cataract surgery. METHODS: Royal College of Ophthalmologists' National Ophthalmology Database (NOD) Cataract Audit data from 01/04/2010 and 31/03/2021 and Bausch + Lomb sales figures were combined to identify centres participating in national cataract audit who have routinely adopted the silicone tipped I/A handpiece, CapsuleGuard®. Data were included only from centres with eligible cataract operations recorded on the NOD both before and after adopting CapsuleGuard®. Review of the literature was undertaken to estimate the proportion of PCR that occurs during I/A, to evaluate the impact of adoption of CapsuleGuard® on PCR occurring in this phase of surgery. RESULTS: Within the study period, 267 371 eligible cataract operations were performed in 14 centres with >50 eligible operations both before and after adopting CapsuleGuard®. Within centres adopting CapsuleGuard®, the rate of PCR occurrence reduction was 16.4%. Before and after the adoption of CapsuleGuard® the median change of PCR was 21.7% reduction (IQR: 4.8% to 37.7% reduction). CONCLUSIONS: A reduction in the rate of PCR was seen after regular adoption of CapsuleGuard® during cataract operations. Review of published studies attributing PCR to various components of the cataract operation suggest around 25% of PCR may occur during I/A; adoption of CapsuleGuard may, therefore, be associated with avoidance of a substantial proportion of the PCR during that phase of surgery.

The Royal College of Ophthalmologists' National Ophthalmology Database study of cataract surgery: Report 9, Risk factors for posterior capsule opacification.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Posterior Capsule Opacification (PCO) is the most common long-term post-operative adverse occurrence after cataract surgery often requiring treatment with YAG laser posterior capsulotomy. This study aimed to identify potential risk factors, known at the time of cataract surgery, that influence the development of PCO. SUBJECT/METHODS: A retrospective study of publicly funded cataract surgery from The Royal College of Ophthalmologists' National Ophthalmology Database. Eligible for analysis were 500,872 cataract operations performed in 41 participating centres. RESULTS: The 500,872 operations were performed on 243,167 (48.5%) left eyes and 257,705 (51.5%) right eyes from 373,579 patients by 2196 surgeons. Post-cataract PCO was recorded for 61,778 (12.3%) eyes and the six month, one, three, five and nine year observed rates of PCO were 2.3%, 4.4%, 19.7%, 34.0% and 46.9% respectively. Different PCO profiles were observed between IOL materials and the identified risk factors that increased the risk of developing PCO included hydrophilic IOL material, axial length >26 mm, the presence of high myopia and implantation of lower IOL powers and previous vitrectomy surgery, along with younger age and female gender. CONCLUSIONS: Many factors influence the development of PCO relating to the patient, the eye, the lens and the surgery. Some factors are modifiable such as IOL material, therefore the opportunity exists to attempt to reduce PCO rates, benefitting patients and the UK NHS.

Royal College of Ophthalmologists' National Ophthalmology Database study of cataract surgery: report 6. The impact of EyeSi virtual reality training on complications rates of cataract surgery performed by first and second year trainees.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the impact of EyeSi surgical simulators on posterior capsule rupture (PCR) rates of cataract surgery performed by first and second year trainee surgeons. DESIGN: A Royal College of Ophthalmologists' National Ophthalmology Database audit study of first and second year surgeons' PCR rates over seven consecutive National Health Service (NHS) years. Participating centres were contacted to ascertain the date when their surgeons had access to an EyeSi machine and whether this was on-site or off-site. Operations were classified as before, after or no access to EyeSi. SETTING: The study took place in 29 NHS Ophthalmology Units in a secondary care setting. RESULTS: Two-hundred and sixty five first and second year trainee surgeons performed 17 831 cataract operations. 6919 (38.8%) operations were performed before access to an EyeSi, 8648 (48.5%) after access to an EyeSi and 2264 (12.7%) operations by surgeons with no access to an EyeSi. Overall, there was a 38% reduction in the first and second year surgeon's unadjusted PCR rates from 4.2% in 2009 to 2.6% in 2015 for surgeons with access to an EyeSi, and a 3% reduction from 2.9% to 2.8% for surgeons without access to an EyeSi. The overall first and second year unadjusted PCR rates for before, after and no access to EyeSi were 3.5%, 2.6% and 3.8%, respectively. The decrease in the with-access to an EyeSi group PCR rate was similar for surgeons with access to an EyeSi 'on site' or 'off site'. CONCLUSIONS: First and second year trainee surgeons' unadjusted PCR rates have decreased since 2009 which has significant benefits for patients undergoing cataract surgery. This 38% reduction in complication rates aligns with the introduction of EyeSi simulator training.