Stat Tracker

U.S. Trends in Refractive Surgery: The 2007 ISRS/AAO Survey

Richard J. Duffey, M.D., of Mobile, Ala., and David Leaming, M.D., of Palm Springs, Calif., annually survey the membership of the International Society of Refractive Surgery (ISRS) to collect data on such issues as LASIK, Refractive Lens Exchange (RLE), enhancement tests, ectasia and co-management. Following are results of their 11th annual survey:

► LASIK dominates between -8 D and +3 D

► P-IOL (41%) for -10 D myopes (32% choose LASIK here)

► Monovision or modified mono is still the number one choice (42%) for surgeons offering presbyopia-reduction surgery, but 35% will choose implanting a modern presbyopic IOL for cataract and RLE surgery (led by ReSTOR (Alcon) at 16%)

► Trend is toward thinner flaps (mechanical or laser) in LASIK

► VISX (AMO) still at > 2:1 over all other lasers

► IntraLase (AMO) market share rising (28%)

► 92% perform custom ablations…and at increasing frequencies (60% whenever possible)

► Fourth-generation fluoroquinolones dominate the post-refractive surgery market (97%)

► Co-management still on the rebound after several years of decline (increased from 40% to 61% from ‘04 to ‘07)

► Almost one-third of ophthalmologists (32%) have had modern refractive surgery done on their own eyes

► 40% of refractive surgeons now measuring true flap thickness in the OR

► ASC OR is preferred location for P-IOL surgery (77%). Sixteen percent OK with "In Office" modified OR

► Wavefront custom ablations are increasing, with 92% of surgeons performing them

► MMC use on the rise (82%)

► Thinner flaps on the rise; 100 μm flap thickness is favored by 27% of surgeons (up from 19%). OM

About this data: A mailing to 1,407 U.S. members of ISRS/AAO was sent out and 248 responses were analyzed by Oct. 1, 2007 (18% of the U.S. ISRS/AAO membership). This is the eleventh year of refractive data collection. This data may be found in its entirety on Dr. Duffey's Web site at www.duffeylaser.com/physicians_resources.php.