Co-Management of Post-Cataract Surgery Patients Between Ophthalmologists and Optometrists: A Scoping Review

With the growing aging population, cataract surgeries are becoming increasingly common, placing significant pressure on hospital eye services to manage postoperative care. Co-management between ophthalmologists and optometrists offers a potential solution to enhance efficiency and care quality. This study evaluates the feasibility and safety of co-management models between ophthalmologists and optometrists for post-cataract surgery patients in different countries.

A comprehensive search was conducted across PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and bibliographies, up to November 26, 2024. Search terms included "shared care scheme" and "post-operative cataract surgery". Papers involving optometrists in post-cataract surgery monitoring and reporting related management outcomes were included.

The ten selected studies, conducted in the United States of America (USA), England, Scotland, Ireland, and the Netherlands, showed that post-cataract co-management is feasible and safe. The results demonstrated uncompromised patient safety, positive patient satisfaction outcomes, and optometrist competency. Successful implementation was dependent on clear referrals and workflow guidelines, rigorous optometrists training, strong ophthalmologists and optometrists collaboration, and regular patients feedback. However, study heterogeneity and limited geographic scope hindered comparability and generalisability of the findings to other countries with different healthcare systems and optometric training levels.

Co-management of post-cataract surgery patients between ophthalmologists and optometrists has demonstrated feasibility and patient safety in some countries. However, tailoring the guidelines and adapting models to each country's specific demands and capabilities is essential for a successful implementation. Further research is needed to explore the feasibility and effectiveness of such models in different countries and healthcare systems.