Cataract Surgery Practices in the Republic of Korea: A Survey of the Korean Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery 2018

Abstract

Purpose: To describe current cataract surgery practice patterns and changing trends among Korean ophthalmologists. Methods: A survey of members of the Korean Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery was performed inJuly 2018. One hundred and two (12.7%) of 801 questionnaires were returned for analysis. The data were analyzedusing descriptive statistics and compared with previous surveys. Results: Most of the respondents (75%) had been in practice for 6 or more years and performed an average of31 cataract surgeries per month. The preferred method for cataract surgery was phacoemulsification (95%); 5%used a femtosecond laser. The use of topical anesthesia markedly increased from 69% (2012) to 80% (2018). The use of optical biometry exceeded that of ultrasound A-scan biometry. A multifocal intraocular lens wasused by 76% of the respondents compared with 44% of the respondents in 2012. Topical nonsteroidal anti-inflammatorydrugs were used by 70% of the respondents postoperatively. Most (59%) of these anti-inflammatorydrugs were prescribed for 4 weeks. Conclusions: This survey provided a comprehensive update of the present cataract surgery practices in theRepublic of Korea. The results emphasized the increasing use of premium intraocular lenses, optical biometry,and topical anesthesia.