Waiting Times for Cataract Surgery in a Dedicated Cataract Clinic: A Retrospective Audit.
Article DOI: https://doi.org/10.64573/torgj2512005
Authors:Emma Hennessy1*, Emily Greenan1, Adebusola Adenike Owokole1,2, Conall Hurley1
| ¹Department of Ophthalmology, Health Service Executive (HSE), Mid-West, Ireland. ²The Operating Room Global (TORG). |
Cite:
- APA (7th edition): Hennessy, E., Greenan, E., Owokole, A. A., & Hurley, C. (2025, December 27). Waiting times for cataract surgery in a dedicated cataract clinic: A retrospective audit. The Operating Room Global Journal (TORGJ), 1(2). https://doi.org/10.64573/torgj2512005
- Harvard: Hennessy, E., Greenan, E., Owokole, A.A. and Hurley, C., 2025. Waiting times for cataract surgery in a dedicated cataract clinic: A retrospective audit. The Operating Room Global Journal (TORGJ), 1(2). Published 27 December. Available at: https://doi.org/10.64573/torgj2512005
- Vancouver: Hennessy E, Greenan E, Owokole AA, Hurley C. Waiting times for cataract surgery in a dedicated cataract clinic: A retrospective audit. The Operating Room Global Journal (TORGJ). 2025 Dec 27;1(2). https://doi.org/10.64573/torgj2512005
- MLA (9th edition): Hennessy, Emma, et al. “Waiting Times for Cataract Surgery in a Dedicated Cataract Clinic: A Retrospective Audit.” The Operating Room Global Journal (TORGJ), vol. 1, no. 2, 27 Dec. 2025, https://doi.org/10.64573/torgj2512005
- Chicago (Author–Date): Emma Hennessy, Emily Greenan, Owokole, Adebusola Adenike, and Conall Hurley. 2025. “Waiting Times for Cataract Surgery in a Dedicated Cataract Clinic: A Retrospective Audit.” The Operating Room Global Journal (TORGJ) 1 (2), December 27. https://doi.org/10.64573/torgj2512005
*Corresponding Author:
Emma Hennessy
[email protected]
Declaration:
Authors’ Contribution: Original draft & formal analysis: Emma Hennessy (E.H) & Emily Greenan (E.G); Review, editing & data curation: Adebusola Adenike Owokole (A.A.O.); Supervision: Conall Hurley (C.H.).
Conflict of Interest:
No conflict of interest.
Funding:
No funding received by the authors.
| Article History: |
| Received: 26-12-2025 Accepted: 26-12-2025 |
| Available Online: 27-12-2025 |
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| ABSTRACT |
| Background: Cataract surgery is a popular & cost-effective solution that helps to prevent needless vision impairment & maintain functional independence. As a result, timely access to cataract surgery is an important indication of surgical system performance & healthcare fairness. Despite the introduction of Dedicated Cataract Clinics (DCCs) to improve efficiency & throughput, elective ophthalmic services continue to face rising capacity constraints. Aim: To assess waiting times for cataract surgery in a Dedicated Cataract Clinic & analyze improvements in access over two years. Methods: A retrospective clinical audit of cataract surgery waiting list data was performed for patients who had surgery in March-April 2024 & March-April 2025. Waiting times for all eyes, first-eye surgeries, & second-eye surgeries were investigated using descriptive data & non-parametric comparisons. Results: A total of 233 cataract surgeries were examined (114 in 2024, 119 in 2025). The median waiting time for all eyes increased dramatically, from 113.5 days in 2024 to 194.0 days in 2025 (p = 0.0002). The wait time for first-eye surgery rose from 109.0 to 171.0 days (p = 0.0175). The biggest significant increase was seen in second-eye procedures, with median waiting times rising from 134.5 to 322.0 days (p = 0.0008). Conclusion: Waiting times for cataract surgery rose significantly over a 12-month period, showing rising service pressure & insufficient capacity to fulfil demand, even in a dedicated service paradigm. Continuous auditing, capacity optimization, & targeted system-level interventions are necessary to restore timely & equitable access to cataract surgery. Keywords: Cataract surgery; audit; surgical access; ophthalmology services; waiting times. |
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