Training Indian ophthalmologists in phacoemulsification surgery: Nine-year results of a unique two-week multicentric...

To assess the outcome of 2 weeks phacoemulsification training program that is a unique collaboration between premier ophthalmic training institutes of India and Alcon Inc. initiated 10 years ago.

Cataract surgeons eager to adopt phacoemulsification surgery as the primary treatment modality were enrolled in an intensive 2 weeks training program across seven premier ophthalmic institutes in India. These surgeons performed supervised phacoemulsification surgery under the guidance of expert faculty. Simultaneously didactic lectures, postoperative video discussions, and wet laboratory training were conducted. To assess improvement in the surgical skills each surgery was scored using the International Council of Ophthalmology-Ophthalmology Surgical Competency Assessment Rubrics (ICO-OSCAR). Phaco Development Specialist supported these surgeons for minimum duration of 1 year and maximum of 9 years and 2 months. In this multicentric study, surgical data of the participants enrolled between June 2010 to August 2018 was retrospectively analyzed.

Nine hundred 89 ophthalmologists across 27 Indian states and 4 Union Territories were trained between June 2010 and August 2018. The mean age of participants was 40.6 (+ 8.2 years) and 64.8% were males. After completing their training they performed 1,022,508 phacoemulsification surgeries in 9 years and 2 months. At follow-up, 92.11% and 88.77% of the surgeons were performing phacoemulsification at the end of 1 year and final follow-up, respectively.

This program highlights how partnership model between industry and ophthalmologists can go hand in hand for training and skill development of doctors contributing to much-needed improvement in patient care across societies.