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

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.