2009 ISRS survey results highlight U.S. refractive surgery trends

Results of the 2009 International Society of Refractive Surgery survey examining refractive surgery practice patterns in the United States show total surgical volume decreased while surgeons are continuing to embrace new techniques and technologies that can afford safer, more predictable outcomes.

Dr. Duffey conducts this project in collaboration with David Leaming, MD. He presented findings from analyses of 134 survey responders.

"This is the 13th year of the survey, but the first year we have conducted it online," said Dr. Duffey, a private practitioner in Mobile, AL. "We e-mailed 1,307 messages to U.S. ISRS members in August, 700 surgeons opened the message, and we included data from responses received by October 1.

After adjusting for a small decrease in ISRS membership, the total volume of laser vision correction was reduced about 15% compared with 2008. The proportion of "high volume" surgeons, defined for the purpose of the survey as those performing at least 75 cases per month, was 12%.

"The latter number is similar to last year, but overall the proportion of high-volume surgeons among our survey respondents has been on a downward trend since a peak of 27% was reached in 2001," Dr. Duffey said.