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CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Journal of Academic Ophthalmology 2021; 13(02): e108-e113
DOI: 10.1055/s-0040-1721072
Research Article

Survey of Microinvasive Glaucoma Surgery and Other Glaucoma Surgical Experience among United States Ophthalmology Residency Programs

Kevin M. Halenda
1   Department of Ophthalmology, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia
,
Tae Jin Lee
2   Department of Population Health Science, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia
,
Ashok Sharma
2   Department of Population Health Science, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia
,
Amy J. Estes
1   Department of Ophthalmology, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia
,
Kathryn E. Bollinger
1   Department of Ophthalmology, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia
› Author Affiliations Funding The authors report that this was an unfunded study.
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Abstract

Purpose The aim of the study is to assess the state of glaucoma surgical training in United States ophthalmology residency programs, including experience with microinvasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS).

Design The design of the study is anonymous, internet-based national survey.

Participants Current United States ophthalmology residents of residency programs accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME).

Methods An anonymous survey link was emailed to all 120 accredited United States ophthalmology residency programs inviting residents to participate in an assessment of residency glaucoma surgical experience. Survey responses were collected between January 21, 2019 and March 4, 2019 and analyzed using descriptive statistics.

Main Outcome Measures The main outcomes of the study are demographic information, practice intentions, and anticipated primary surgical experience with ACGME-required glaucoma procedures and MIGS procedures, as self-reported by U.S. ophthalmology residents.

Results Of the estimated 1,479 U.S. ophthalmology residents, 161 residents participated (10.9%). A total of 118 residents (73.2%) reported any degree of anticipated MIGS primary surgical experience during residency, with the iStent being the most familiar technique. The likelihood of any anticipated MIGS experience during residency was not significantly different by geographic region (p = 0.16), however, anticipated volume varied significantly (p = 0.037). Of the 113 respondents who reported an intention to manage glaucoma surgically in their eventual practice, 25 (22.1%) reported no anticipated primary MIGS experience during residency. 73.3% of residents anticipating MIGS experience anticipated 0 to 10 cases, with 42.9% anticipating less than 5 cases as primary surgeon.

Conclusion MIGs are not a required component of the glaucoma surgical curriculum for U.S. ophthalmology residents. Although the majority of ophthalmology residents surveyed intend to manage glaucoma surgically in eventual practice, most receive minimal experience with these novel techniques during residency. Surgical training is variable by geographic region.

Keywords

glaucoma - microinvasive glaucoma surgery - residents - surgical experience

Disclosures

The authors report that these data were presented in part as a poster at the 2020 meeting of the American Glaucoma Society on February 27, 2020.


Supplementary Material



Publication History

Received: 23 July 2020

Accepted: 22 September 2020

Article published online:
10 November 2021

© 2021. The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

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