Do you track the refractive outcome of your cataract procedures? By consistently comparing your refractive targets to your postsurgical results, you can improve as a surgeon, maintain good patient relationships and more.

If you have been thinking about doing this, what I refer to as evidence-based refractive cataract surgery, then please let me try to convince you why you should.

I have been tracking my cataract surgical refractive outcomes for years. I have consistently closed the gap between visual expectations and visual reality. Moreover, tracking my performance has helped me personalize my A-constant, resulting in tighter outcomes and happier patients.

FIRST, PROFESSIONAL IMPROVEMENT REASONS

As someone who has always followed the evidence, even on a subject as nonclinical as incorporating a dishwasher within our office lunchroom to help the environment and to save money as opposed to continually using paper or plastic goods, I was intrigued when Jack Holladay, MD issued his first software package for surgical outcomes assessment. Our practice purchased his software, and I have been tracking my refractive outcomes since.

In fact, two other software packages have become available: Alcon has a software package for its ORA users, and Scott Eccarius, MD, released his own refractive assessments software, called ForeSight, a year ago.

And yes, I use all three. With the ORA system, which I frequently use for toric IOLs, one can see how tight the results are compared to non-ORA based data. Surgeons can compare their outcomes to national aggregate values on easy-to- interpret plot graphs.

With Dr. Eccarius’ program an analysis is performed for each IOL type taking the postoperative result into consideration relative to the selected refractive target.

As scientists, we are accustomed to comparing data. The more consistently we hit our refractive target, the better surgeons we become.

SECOND, BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT REASONS

We certainly don’t advertise that, say, we hit the IOL-power mark seven out of eight times. But we can certainly encourage our new patients to read our reviews; visit our website for our testimonials; and even speak with patients of ours who have had premium IOLs implanted. Our growth over the past few years speaks to the power of mastering our craft and ensuring that skills are constantly as honed as they can be.

For all these reasons, I track my refractive outcomes. OM

Cynthia Matossian, MD, FACS, is the founder of Matossian Eye Associates. Her e-mail is cmatossian@matossianeye.com