OphthoEvidence: a model for rapid and trustworthy ophthalmology guidelines

The World Health Organization estimates that 2.2 billion people worldwide suffer from vision impairment, representing an annual productivity loss of US$411 billion. Meanwhile, ophthalmology advances at a fast-moving pace. As in every discipline, optimal ophthalmologic care depends on trustworthy clinical practice guidelines that promote patient-centred care and support consistent, evidence-informed decision-making. Existing guidelines, however, may not always be up to date and their adherence to internationally accepted standards for trustworthy development is variable.

We describe OphthoEvidence, a model for producing rigorous clinical practice guidelines supported by systematic reviews and aligned with international trustworthy standards. Panels (8-14 stakeholders) including clinicians, patients, caregivers, researchers, and health-system decision makers will use the GRADE Evidence-to-Decision framework to formulate recommendations. A parallel Evidence Synthesis Team will conduct systematic reviews that will help panel members move from evidence to final recommendations.

OphthoEvidence will serve as an implementation model for the development of clinical practice guidelines in ophthalmology, adhering to international standards that ensure trustworthiness, transparency, and reproducibility while proposing a framework for other research groups and regulatory bodies.