Cataract Surgery Numbers in U.S. Ophthalmology Residency Programs: An ACGME Case Log Analysis

ABSTRACT

Purpose

To describe and assess the cataract experience of ophthalmology residents throughout the United States (U.S.).

Methods

Cataract procedures logged by graduating ophthalmology residents nationwide and published by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) from 2009 to 2020 were analyzed using linear regression on log-transformed response variables with robust variance.

Results

As primary surgeon, average numbers logged for phacoemulsification increased yearly by an average of 4.1% prior to 2019 and then decreased by 22.1% in 2019 for an overall average yearly increase of 2.9% (95% CI: 0.5, 5.4%, p = .03), non-phacoemulsification extracapsular extraction decreased yearly by an average of 4.6% (95% CI: −7.7, −1.5%, p = .01), other cataract/intraocular lens surgeries decreased yearly by an average of 8.4% (95% CI: −10.1, −6.6%, p < .001), anterior vitrectomies decreased yearly by an average of 12.5% (95% CI: −14.9, −10.1%, p < .001), and laser capsulotomies increased yearly by an average of 6.0% prior to 2019 and then decreased by 3.0% for an overall average yearly increase of 5.3% (95% CI: 4.5, 6.2%, p < .001). As assistant, average numbers logged in all ACGME minimum categories showed decreasing trends.

Conclusions

Over the last decade, the average numbers of phacoemulsification and laser capsulotomies logged by residents as primary surgeon increased while other ACGME cataract minimum procedures decreased. Surgical volume in 2019–20 was lower due to the coronavirus disease-19 pandemic but higher than from 2009 to 2013.

KEYWORDS:

• Cataract
• cataract surgery
• ophthalmology residency
• surgical education
• surgical volume

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Disclaimer

The view(s) expressed herein are those of the author(s) and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Department of the Army/Navy/Air Force, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Defense Health Agency, Department of Defense, or the U.S. Government.

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed on the publisher’s website.

Additional information

Funding

The authors received no financial support or funding for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.