The 100 most influential papers about cataract surgery: a bibliometric analysis

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Bibliometrics
• Medical Research Impact

Background:

• Cataract surgery is a leading vision-restoring procedure globally.
• Identifying influential research is crucial for understanding the field's evolution.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a bibliometric analysis identifying the 100 most cited papers in cataract surgery.
• To analyze citation trends, authorship, and institutional contributions.

Main Methods:

• Bibliometric analysis of papers from Thomson Reuters Web of Knowledge.
• Recorded and analyzed total citations, latest 5-year citations, and average citations per year (ACY).
• Pearson's correlation analysis assessed relationships between publication year, citations, and journal impact factor (IF).

Main Results:

• The most cited paper focused on endophthalmitis, authored by the European Society of Cataract & Refractive Surgeons (ESCRS).
• Top-cited papers and institutions were predominantly from the USA.
• Latest 5-year citations and ACY significantly correlated with publication year (P<0.001), unlike total citations.
• Journal IF did not significantly affect total citation counts.

Conclusions:

• This study presents the first comprehensive bibliometric analysis of influential cataract surgery papers.
• Findings offer insights into the historical development and key research areas in cataract surgery over 66 years.