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William Jeon,1 Graham E Trope,1,2 Yvonne M Buys,2 Richard Wedge,3 Sherif El-Defrawy,2 Qi-Sheng Chen,4 Ya-Ping Jin1,2,5 1Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; 2Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; 3Health Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada; 4University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada; 5Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, CanadaCorrespondence: Ya-Ping JinDepartment of Ophthalmology and Vision Sciences, University of Toronto, 340 College Street, Suite 400, Toronto, M5T 1S8, Ontario, CanadaTel +416-978-7938Email Yaping.Jin@utoronto.caIntroduction: Eye care in many countries is provided by optometrists, ophthalmologists, primary care providers (PCPs, including family physicians and pediatricians) and emergency department (ED) physicians. In the province of Prince Edward Island (PEI), Canada, optometric services are not government-insured, while services provided by other eye care providers are government-insured. Clinics of optometrists, PCPs and ED physicians are widely distributed across the island. Clinics of ophthalmologists however are concentrated in the capital city Charlottetown.Purpose: To investigate if more patients visited government-insured PCPs and EDs for eye care when local optometric services are government-uninsured and government-insured ophthalmologists are potentially distant.Methods: From PEI physician billing database, we identified all patients with an ocular diagnosis from 2010– 2012 using International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision (ICD-9) codes. The utilization of government-insured PCPs and EDs in five geographical regions was assessed utilizing patients’ residential postal code. Of the five regions, Prince was the region farthest from the capital Charlottetown.Results: Compared to utilization of government-insured PCPs for ocular diagnoses in Charlottetown (13.5% in 2010, 95% confidence interval [CI] 12.9– 14.0%), the utilization in Prince (22.4% in 2010, 95% CI 21.7– 23.1%) was nearly double (p< 0.05). The utilization of ED physicians for ocular diagnoses was similarly double in Prince (8.8%, 95% CI 8.3– 9.3%) versus Charlottetown (4.1%, 95% CI 3.8– 4.5%). The utilization of ophthalmologists however was significantly lower in Prince (43%, 95% CI 41.4– 42.9%) versus Charlottetown (56.3%, 95% CI 55.6– 57.1%). Similar trends remained throughout 2010– 2012.Conclusion: When optometric services are government-uninsured and government-insured ophthalmologist services are geographically distant, ocular patients utilized PCPs and ED physicians more frequently. Due to different levels of training and available equipment for eye examinations among PCPs, ED physicians and optometrists, the quality of eye care and cost-effectiveness of increased use of PCPs and ED physicians for ocular management warrant further investigation.Trial Registration: Not applicable.Keywords: primary care providers, ocular diagnoses, government insurance, emergency physicians, optometrists

Aim. To investigate the ability of Heidelberg Retina Tomograph (HRT3) Topographic Change Analysis (TCA) map to predict the subsequent development of clinical change, in patients with glaucoma. Materials. 61 eyes of 61 patients, which, from a retrospective review were defined as stable on optic nerve head (ONH) stereophotographs and visual field (VF), were enrolled in a prospective study. Eyes were classified as TCA-stable or TCA-progressed based on the TCA map. All patients underwent HRT3, VF, and ONH stereophotography at 9-12 months intervals. Clinical glaucoma progression was determined by masked assessment of ONH stereophotographs and VF Guided Progression Analysis. Results. The median (IQR) total HRT follow-up period was 8.1 (7.3, 9.1) years, which included a median retrospective and prospective follow-up time of 3.9 (3.1, 5.0) and 4.0 (3.5, 4.7) years, respectively. In the TCA-stable eyes, VF and/or photographic progression occurred in 5/13 (38.4%) eyes compared to 11/48 (22.9%) of the TCA-progressed eyes. There was no statistically significant association between TCA progression and clinically relevant (photographic and/or VF) progression (hazard ratio, 1.18; P = 0.762). The observed median time to clinical progression from enrollment was significantly shorter in the TCA-progressed group compared to the TCA-stable group (P = 0.04). Conclusion. Our results indicate that the commercially available TCA progression criteria do not adequately predict subsequent photographic and/or VF progression.

Objective: To compare sex and medical school graduate type differences in cataract surgical training volumes at Canada's largest residency program, the University of Toronto (UoT)., Design: Retrospective cohort study PARTICIPANTS: Ophthalmology residents completing cataract surgical training from 2015 to 2020., Methods: Data collected from surgical logbooks at the main cataract surgical teaching site at UoT were analyzed from July 1, 2015, to June 30, 2020. Data collected included stage of resident training and degree of participation for each case. The main outcome measure was mean number of complete cataract cases as a function of resident sex, medical school graduate type, and level of training., Results: Thirty-five (19, 54.3% female) residents completed cataract surgical training during the study period. There were 24 (68.6%) Canadian medical graduates (CMGs) and 11 (31.4%) international medical graduates (IMGs). Female residents performed a lower mean number of complete cataract cases compared to males (464.2 versus 504.8, respectively). IMGs completed on average 110.0 (22.8%) fewer cataract cases compared to CMGs. Compared to all residents, female IMGs had the lowest number of complete cataract cases (mean of 380.8 versus 465.7, respectively). The greatest difference occurred between male CMGs and female IMGs, with male CMGs performing 153.8 (40.4%) more complete cases (534.6 vs 380.8, respectively)., Conclusion: The greatest difference in surgical volumes occurred between CMGs and IMGs. Female IMGs had the lowest complete cataract case volumes compared to all residents. Our study highlights novel medical school graduate type disparities in cataract surgical training warranting further exploration., Competing Interests: Footnotes and Disclosure Each of the authors confirms that this article has not been previously published and is not currently under consideration by any other journal. Additionally, none of the authors have published, posted, or submitted any related papers from this research letter. All of the authors have approved the contents of this article and have agreed to Canadian Journal of Ophthalmology’s submission policies. To the best of our knowledge, the named authors have no conflict of interest, financial or otherwise. Supported by: Dr. Kohly's research is supported by the Silber TARGET Fund., (Copyright © 2024 Canadian Ophthalmological Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To estimate the prevalence of glaucoma in Canada based on self-reports and test data, including Frequency Doubling Technology Perimetry (FDT), optic nerve vertical cup-to-disc ratio (CDR), intraocular pressure (IOP), and use of glaucoma medications., Design: Cross-sectional survey., Participants: 2,600-4,100 participants aged 40-79 in the Canadian Health Measures Survey 2016-2019 with available information from self-report, CDR, FDT, and IOP., Methods: Glaucoma was defined by self-reports, CDR ≥ 0.7 only, or failed FDT only. Incorporating results of CDR, FDT, IOP, and use of glaucoma medications, participants were further classified as definite glaucoma (failed FDT and CDR ≥ 0.7) or glaucoma suspects (CDR ≥ 0.7 only, failed FDT only, or IOP > 21 mmHg only, or "normal" values of FDT, CDR, and IOP but used glaucoma medications). Survey weights were used in analyses., Results: The glaucoma prevalence was 2.5% (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.7%-3.3%) utilizing self-reports, 3.0% (95% CI 2.1%-3.9%) by CDR ≥ 0.7 only and 10.3% (7.8%-12.8%) with failed FDT only. Merging test data, the prevalence of definite glaucoma was 0.7% (95% CI 0.3%-1.1%) and the prevalence of suspected glaucoma was 16.3% (95% CI 13.2%-19.4%). Among the patients suspected of having glaucoma, 44.4% had ocular hypertension (OHT, mean IOP 22.8 mmHg) and 6.8% used glaucoma medications. IOP ≥28 mmHg was found in 2.4% of OHT individuals, and none used glaucoma medications.37.5% of Canadians with definite glaucoma were unaware they had glaucoma., Conclusions: Glaucoma prevalence in Canadians aged 40-79 varied between 0.7% and 10.3% depending on definition used. 16.3% of Canadians were labeled "glaucoma suspects". Nearly 40% of Canadians with definite glaucoma were unaware of having glaucoma., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Perimetry and optical coherence tomography (OCT) are both used to monitor glaucoma progression. However, combining these modalities can be a challenge due to differences in data types. To overcome this, we have developed an autoencoder data fusion (AEDF) model to learn compact encoding (AE-fused data) from both perimetry and OCT. The AEDF model, optimized specifically for visual field (VF) progression detection, incorporates an encoding loss to ensure the interpretation of the AE-fused data is similar to VF data while capturing key features from OCT measurements. For model training and evaluation, our study included 2504 longitudinal VF and OCT tests from 140 glaucoma patients. VF progression was determined from linear regression slopes of longitudinal mean deviations. Progression detection with AE-fused data was compared to VF-only data (standard clinical method) as well as data from a Bayesian linear regression (BLR) model. In the initial 2-year follow-up period, AE-fused data achieved a detection F1 score of 0.60 (95% CI: 0.57 to 0.62), significantly outperforming ( p < 0.001) the clinical method (0.45, 95% CI: 0.43 to 0.47) and the BLR model (0.48, 95% CI: 0.45 to 0.51). The capacity of the AEDF model to generate clinically interpretable fused data that improves VF progression detection makes it a promising data integration tool in glaucoma management.

Objective: To investigate the use and trends of virtual care in ophthalmology and examine associated factors in a universal health care system during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020., Design: Cross-sectional study., Participants: Ontarians eligible for the Ontario Health Insurance Plan., Methods: We used physician billing data from 2017-2020 to describe the use of virtual versus in-person care. We used logistic regression to examine factors associated with virtual care use., Results: The uptake of ophthalmic virtual visits increased immediately following the government's directive to ramp down clinic activities and institution of a new virtual fee code (17.6%), peaked 2 weeks later (55.8%), and decreased immediately after the directive was lifted (24.2%). In March-December 2020, virtual visits were higher in female (11.6%) versus male (10.3%) patients and in patients <20 years of age (16.4%) and 20-39 years of age (12.3%) versus those aged 40-64 years (10.8%) and 65+ years (10.6%). Patients residing in the poorest/poorer neighbourhoods (10.9%) had similar use as their counterparts (11.1%). Patients with an acute infectious disease (14.2%) or nonurgent diagnosis (16.2%) had the highest use. Those with retinal disease had the lowest use (4.2%). Female ophthalmologists (15.4%) provided virtual care more often than male ophthalmologists (9.9%). Ophthalmologists aged 60-69 years (13.1%) provided virtual care more often than any other age groups (<40 years: 11.3%; 40-49 years: 11.0%; 50-59 years: 10.0%; and 70+ years: 7.7%). Multiple logistic regression models revealed similar results., Conclusion: Virtual care in ophthalmology increased significantly during the initial phase of the pandemic and decreased thereafter. There were significant variations in virtual care use by patient and ophthalmologist characteristics., (Copyright © 2022 Canadian Ophthalmological Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Diabetes, a leading cause of visual impairment, is on the rise in Canada. We assessed trends in the prevalence of visual impairment among people in Canada with and without diabetes to inform the development of strategies and policies for the management of visual impairment., Methods: We analyzed self-reported data from respondents aged 45 years and older in 7 cycles of nationwide surveys (National Population Health Survey and Canadian Community Health Survey) from 1994/95 to 2013/14. The age- and sex-standardized prevalence of visual impairment was calculated. We assessed comparisons by levels of education and income, using sex-standardized prevalence owing to sparse data., Results: Among people in Canada with diabetes, the age- and sex-standardized prevalence of visual impairment was 7.37% (95% confidence interval [CI] 5.31%-9.43%) in 1994/95 and 1996/97 combined, decreasing to 3.03% (95% CI 2.48%-3.57%) in 2013/14, giving a standardized prevalence ratio of 0.41 (95% CI 0.30-0.56) comparing 2013/14 with 1994/95 and 1996/97 combined. Among people in Canada without diabetes, visual impairment prevalence decreased from 3.72% (95% CI 3.31%-4.14%) in 1994/95 and 1996/97 combined to 1.69% (95% CI 1.52%-1.87%) in 2013/14, with a standardized prevalence ratio of 0.45 (95% CI 0.40-0.52). Decreased sex-standardized prevalence of visual impairment was observed among people with high and low education levels and incomes among those with and without diabetes., Interpretation: Visual impairment prevalence was roughly 2 times higher among those with versus without diabetes in all survey years; from 1994 to 2014, visual impairment prevalence decreased among those with and without diabetes irrespective of education and income levels. These results suggest effective collective efforts by clinicians, researchers, the public and government., Competing Interests: Competing interests: Ya-Ping Jin reports research grant support from the Lindenfield Family Research Grant for this study, and from the Glaucoma Research Society of Canada outside the submitted work. No other competing interests were declared., (© 2023 CMA Impact Inc. or its licensors.)

Objective: To update Canadian ophthalmology workforce data and provide future predictions., Design: Cross-sectional study., Participants: Ophthalmologists working in Canada from 1968 to 2019., Methods: Supply and demographics of physicians in Canada were obtained from the Canadian Institute for Health Information. Physician training numbers were obtained from the Canadian Post-MD Education Registry. Using Statistic Canada population projections, future predictions about Canada's ophthalmology workforce were determined., Results: In 2020, there were 1323 ophthalmologists in Canada; 27.3% were female and 20.9% were aged ≥65 years. Overall, there were 3.48 ophthalmologists per 100,000 population. Provincial distributions varied from 2.32 in Manitoba to 5.00 in Nova Scotia. For the population aged ≥65 years, there were 19.35 ophthalmologists per 100,000 population. If the yearly change in ophthalmologists' numbers remains as during the past 10 years, the number of ophthalmologists per 100,000 population is predicted to be slightly reduced to 3.21 in 2068 in a high-growth scenario and increased to 4.08 and 5.08 in a medium- and low-growth scenario, respectively. For the population aged ≥65 years, corresponding predicted ratios are 14.00 in a high-growth scenario, 17.72 in a medium-growth scenario, and 18.40 in a low-growth scenario., Conclusions: The ratio of ophthalmologists to population aged ≥65 years, the predominant cohort treated by ophthalmologists, is projected to drop by 4.9% and 27.7% in the low- and high-growth scenarios, respectively, potentially creating a challenge to vision care delivery. A small increase in ophthalmology residency positions could protect against this., (Copyright © 2022 Canadian Ophthalmological Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To assess the volume of deferred ophthalmic surgeries in Ontario associated with the COVID-19 pandemic from March to December 2020 and suggest strategies and time required to clear the backlog., Design: Cross-sectional study., Participants: Ontarians eligible for the Ontario Health Insurance Plan in 2017-2020., Methods: Backlog and clearance time for ophthalmic surgeries associated with the COVID-19 pandemic were estimated from time-series forecasting models and queuing theory., Results: From March 16 to December 31, 2020, the estimated ophthalmic surgical backlog needing operating rooms was 92,150 surgeries (95% prediction interval, 71,288-112,841). Roughly 90% of the delayed surgeries were cataract surgeries, and a concerning 4% were retinal detachment surgeries. Nearly half the provincial backlog (48%; 44,542 of 92,150) was in patients from the western health region. In addition, an estimated 23,755 (95% prediction interval, 14,656-32,497) anti-vascular endothelial growth factor injections were missed. Estimated provincial clearance time was 248 weeks (95% CI, 235-260) and 128 weeks (95% CI, 121-134) if 10% and 20% of operating room surgical capacity per week were added, respectively, based on the weekly ophthalmic surgical volume in 2019., Conclusions: Ontario data demonstrate that the magnitude of the ophthalmic surgical backlog in 2020 alone raises serious concerns for meeting the ophthalmic surgical needs of patients. As the pandemic continues, the accrued backlog size is likely to increase. Planning and actions are needed urgently to better manage the collateral impacts of the pandemic on the ophthalmic surgical backlog., (Copyright © 2022 Canadian Ophthalmological Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: To develop a simulation model for glaucomatous longitudinal visual field (VF) tests with controlled progression rates., Methods: Longitudinal VF tests of 1008 eyes from 755 patients with glaucoma were used to learn the statistical characteristics of VF progression. The learned statistics and known anatomic correlations between VF test points were used to automatically generate progression patterns for baseline fields of patients with glaucoma. VF sequences were constructed by adding spatially correlated noise templates to the generated progression patterns. The two one-sided test (TOST) procedure was used to analyze the equivalence between simulated data and data from patients with glaucoma. VF progression detection rates in the simulated VF data were compared to those in patients with glaucoma using mean deviation (MD), cluster, and pointwise trend analysis., Results: VF indices (MD, pattern standard deviation), MD linear regression slopes, and progression detection rates for the simulated and patients' data were practically equivalent (TOST P < 0.01). In patients with glaucoma, the detection rates in 7 years using MD, cluster, and pointwise trend analysis were 24.4%, 26.2%, and 38.4%, respectively. In the simulated data, the mean detection rates (95% confidence interval) for MD, cluster, and pointwise trend analysis were 24.7% (24.1%-25.2%), 24.9% (24.2%-25.5%), and 35.7% (34.9%-36.5%), respectively., Conclusions: A novel simulation model generates glaucomatous VF sequences that are practically equivalent to longitudinal VFs from patients with glaucoma., Translational Relevance: Simulated VF sequences with controlled progression rates can support the evaluation and optimization of methods to detect VF progression and can provide guidance for the interpretation of longitudinal VFs.

Purpose: Glaucoma is a progressive optic neuropathy that damages retinal ganglion cells and a neurodegenerative disease as it affects neural structures throughout the brain. In this study, we examined binocular rivalry responses in patients with early glaucoma in order to probe the function of stimulus-specific cortical areas involved in face perception., Methods: Participants included 14 individuals (10 females, mean age 65 ± 7 years) with early pre-perimetric glaucoma and 14 age-matched healthy controls (7 females, mean age 59 ± 11 years). The 2 groups were equivalent in visual acuity and stereo-acuity. Three binocular rivalry stimulus pairs were used: (1) real face/house, (2) synthetic face/noise patch, and (3) synthetic face/spiral. For each stimulus pair, the images were matched in size and contrast level; they were viewed dichotically, and presented centrally and eccentrically at 3 degrees in the right (RH) and in the left hemifield (LH), respectively. The outcome measures were rivalry rate (i.e., perceptual switches/min) and time of exclusive dominance of each stimulus., Results: For the face/house stimulus pair, rivalry rate of the glaucoma group (11 ± 6 switches/min) was significantly lower than that of the control group (15 ± 5 switches/min), but only in the LH location. The face dominated longer than the house in the LH for both groups. Likewise, for the synthetic face/noise patch stimulus pair, rivalry rate of the glaucoma group (11 ± 6 switches/min) was lower than that of the control group (16 ± 7 switches/min) in the LH, but the difference failed to reach significance. Interestingly, the mixed percept dominated less in glaucoma than in the control group. For the synthetic face/spiral stimulus pair, the glaucoma group had lower rivalry rate at all 3 stimulus locations., Conclusion: This study reveals atypical responses to faces during binocular rivalry in patients with early glaucoma. The results may be suggestive of early neurodegeneration affecting stimulus-specific neural structures involved in face processing starting in the pre-perimetric phase of the disease., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Issashar Leibovitzh, Trope, Kherani, Buys and Tarita-Nistor.)

Prcis: This study examined the integrity of binocular summation function in patients with mild glaucoma. We found that binocular summation of visual acuity is preserved in these patients, despite their reduced monocular inputs., Purpose: Binocular summation represents superiority of binocular to monocular performance. In this study we examined the integrity of binocular summation function in patients with early glaucoma who had structural glaucomatous changes but otherwise had no significant interocular acuity asymmetry or other functional deficit detected with standard clinical measures., Materials and Methods: Participants included 48 patients with early glaucoma according to Hodapp, Anderson, and Parrish 2 (HAP2) criteria (age 65±12 y) and 42 healthy controls (age 60±12 y), matched for stereoacuity. Visual acuity was assessed binocularly and monocularly at high (95%) and low (25%) contrast using the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) charts at 6 m. Binocular acuity summation was evaluated utilizing a binocular ratio (BR)., Results: Overall, binocular and monocular visual acuity of the control group was better than that of the glaucoma group for both contrast levels, P =0.001. For the glaucoma group, there was a significant difference between BRs at high and low contrast, 0.01±0.05 and 0.04±0.06 ( P =0.003), respectively. For the control group, the difference between BR at high and low contrast was not statistically significant, 0.00±0.07 and 0.02±0.06 ( P =0.25), respectively., Conclusion: For patients with early glaucoma, binocular summation function for visual acuity was preserved at both contrast levels. This suggests an adaptation of the visual system in early stages of glaucoma that allows for normal binocular summation in the presence of reduced monocular visual input., Competing Interests: Disclosure: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Canada's fee-for-service physician reimbursement system, where a set rate is provided for each service, suggests that a physician sex pay gap should not exist. However, recent evidence has questioned this presumption., Objectives: To characterize trends in demographics and billing, overall and by sex, for dermatologists compared to other medical and surgical specialty groups in Ontario, Canada., Methods: Using population-based data, analysis of physician billing and clinical activity from Ontario, Canada, over 27 years (1992-2018) was performed. Multilevel regression models were used to examine unadjusted and adjusted differences in payments between females and males over time, while controlling for age, distinct patients seen, patient visits, and full-time equivalent., Results: A total of 22 389 physicians were included in the analyses, including 381 dermatologists. The proportion of female dermatologists increased from 32% in 1992 to 46% in 2018. Dermatologists' median Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) payments were $415 340 (IQR: 285 630-566 580) in 1992 compared to $296 750 (IQR: 164 480-493 180) in 2018. Male dermatologists' OHIP payments were 20% more than their female counterparts across the entire study period. After adjusting for practice volumes, there was no significant pay gap amongst female and male dermatologists ( P = .42); however, the sex pay gap remained significant for the other specialty groups ( P < .001). From 1992 to 2018, dermatologists on average saw 19% fewer distinct patients per year and 15% fewer visits per patient., Conclusions: The overall sex pay gap within medical dermatology can be attributed to differences in practice patterns, whereas the sex pay gap remained significant in the other specialty groups.

Objective: In 2004, government-funded routine eye exams were discontinued for individuals aged 20-64 years in Ontario. We assessed whether this policy change reduced the rate of new glaucoma diagnoses., Design: Cohort-based time-series analysis., Participants: Ontarians aged 20+ years in 2000-2014., Methods: Province-wide physician billing data were analyzed using segmented regression analysis. New glaucoma diagnoses were defined as the first glaucoma diagnostic billing code submitted by an ophthalmologist or optometrist among Ontarians who did not visit an ophthalmologist or an optometrist in the year prior to the study year., Results: Post- versus pre-2004, the rate of new glaucoma billings was reduced in all age groups: -2.7‰ (p < 0.0001) in the age group 20-39 years, -8.2‰ (p < 0.0001) in the age group 40-64 years (p < 0.0001), and -2.1‰ (p = 0.0003) in the age group 65+ years. This corresponds to a decreased number of individuals with a new glaucoma billing after 2004 versus before 2004: -8,800 (p < 0.001) in the age group 20-39 years, -32,234 (p < 0.0001) in the age group 40-64 years, and -3,255 (p = 0.0012) in the age group 65+ years. Reduced rates of new glaucoma diagnostic billings were seen in males, females and rural and urban residents among policy-affected and policy-unaffected age groups. Ontarians living in the wealthiest neighbourhood areas also had a significantly reduced rate after versus before 2004: -2.7‰ (p < 0.0001) for the age group 20-39 years, -9.0‰ (p < 0.0001) for the age group 40-64 years, and -2.3‰ (p < 0.001) for the age group 65+ years., Conclusions: Discontinuation of government-funding for routine eye exams was associated with a significantly reduced rate of new glaucoma diagnostic billings irrespective of sociodemographics. More research is needed to understand the reduced glaucoma billings in unaffected seniors and those living in the wealthiest neighbourhood areas., (Copyright © 2021 Canadian Ophthalmological Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of prophylactic aqueous suppressants immediately post-Ahmed glaucoma valve (AGV) surgery on the rate of hypertensive phase and success., Methods: Retrospective case-control study of 80 eyes with refractory glaucoma undergoing AGV surgery. Forty eyes in the intervention group (preoperative aqueous suppressants continued postoperatively) and 40 in the control group (all glaucoma drops stopped after surgery and reintroduced as required) were included in this study. Patients were followed for 1 year. Data collected included intraocular pressure (IOP), number of glaucoma medications, and number of eyes requiring further IOP lowering surgery. The frequency of hypertensive phase and 1-year success was compared between the groups., Results: Hypertensive phase occurred in 22.5% of the intervention group compared to 42.5% of the control group; however, this difference was not statistically significant ( P = 0.06). Success at 1 year (IOP ≤21 mmHg but ≥5 mmHg and 20% reduction from baseline without additional surgery) was similar in each group: 77.5% in the intervention group and 62.5% in the control group ( P = 0.22). However, at 1 year, significantly more eyes in the intervention group had an IOP ≤17 mmHg (95% vs. 80%, P = 0.04). The mean time interval to a second IOP lowering procedure was significantly shorter in the control group ( P < 0.005)., Conclusions: With prophylactic preoperative aqueous suppressants, more eyes achieved an IOP of ≤17 mmHg. The time interval to repeat the glaucoma procedure was significantly shorter in the control group., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2022 Journal of Current Ophthalmology.)

Purpose: This study tested perceptual grouping during binocular rivalry to probe the strength of neural connectivity of the visual cortex involved in early visual processing in patients with mild glaucoma., Methods: Seventeen patients with mild glaucoma with no significant visual field defects and 14 healthy controls participated. Rivalry stimuli were 1.8°-diameter discs, containing horizontal or vertical sine-wave gratings, viewed dichoptically. To test the grouping, two spatially separated identical stimuli were presented eccentrically to the same or different eyes and to the same or different hemifields. The outcome measures were the time of exclusive dominance of the grouped percept (i.e., percept with synchronized orientations), the rivalry rate, and the epochs of exclusive dominance., Results: For both groups, the grouping occurred primarily for the matching orientations in the same eye/same hemifield (MO SE/SH) and for the matching orientations in the same eye/different hemifield (MO SE/DH) conditions. Time dominance of the grouped percept of the glaucoma group was similar to that of the control group in all conditions. The rivalry rates in the MO SE/SH and MO SE/DH conditions were significantly larger in the control group than in the glaucoma group. The epochs of exclusive dominance of the grouped percept in the MO SE/SH condition were a median of 48-ms longer for the control group, but a median of 116-ms shorter for the glaucoma group when compared to those in the MO SE/DH condition., Conclusion: Patients with mild glaucoma show clear impairments in binocular rivalry while evidence for deficits in perceptual grouping could be inferred only indirectly. If these deficits truly exist, they may have implications for higher levels of visual processing, such as object recognition and scene segmentation, but these predictions remain to be tested in future studies., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Issashar Leibovitzh, Trope, Buys and Tarita-Nistor.)

Background: The proportion of women entering medicine has increased in recent years, and understanding the different practice patterns of female and male family physicians (FPs) will provide important information for health workforce planning. We sought to evaluate differences by sex in the supply, payments and clinical activity among FPs in Ontario., Methods: We conducted a cohort study using claims data from the Ontario Health Insurance Plan. We included all Ontario FPs who submitted claims from 1992 to 2018. We analyzed data using regression analyses for our outcomes of yearly number of FPs, payments, patient visits and distinct patients., Results: The number of practising FPs increased from 10 370 in 1992 to 14 329 in 2018, with an annual increase of 155 female FPs and 13 male FPs. In 2018, male FPs outnumbered female FPs by 1159. Among male FPs, 32.7% worked less than 1 full-time equivalent (FTE) position, 18.1% worked 1 FTE and 49.2% worked more than 1 FTE, with little change over the 27-year study period. Among female FPs, the percentage of those who worked less than 1 FTE position decreased over time (58.6% in 1998 to 48.3% in 2015), those who worked 1 FTE was stable (22.2%-24.3%) and those who worked more than 1 FTE increased (18.7% in 1998 to 28.0% in 2017). Yearly payments were higher for male FPs than female FPs by 40%-60% overall and by 10%-20% in FPs who worked more than 1 FTE. For FPs who worked 1 FTE or less than 1 FTE, both sexes had similar payment amounts (from 2005-2018). For FPs who worked 1 FTE, female FPs were less likely to receive payments from fee-for-service after 2004, and had 550 fewer visits and 121 fewer patients annually than male FPs., Interpretation: In Ontario, there are differences by sex in FP supply, payments, percentages of FTE groups, number of patient visits and number of distinct patients. Health administrators should be mindful of these differences when considering FP workforce plans to ensure a stronger primary health care system, with adequate health care delivery for the population., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© 2022 CMA Impact Inc. or its licensors.)

Objective: To examine sex differences in Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) payments from 1992 to 2018., Design: Population-based observational study., Participants: Ophthalmologists submitting claims to OHIP from 1992 to 2018., Methods: Physician billing data over 27 years (1992-2018) were analyzed for yearly number of ophthalmologists, OHIP payments, distinct patients, and patient visits., Results: Yearly median OHIP payments to female ophthalmologists were less than to male ophthalmologists with a gap ratio of 0.55 in 1992 to 0.73 in 2018. Stratifying by full-time equivalent (FTE), there was little difference in median payments between males and females for 1 FTE. Median female-to-male payments ratio varied from 0.80 to 1.16 for <1 FTE and 1.14 to 0.84 for >1 FTE from 1992 to 2018. Among female ophthalmologists, 72.7% and 52.9% were <1 FTE and 11.4% and 19.2% were >1 FTE in 1992 and 2018, respectively. In comparison, for male ophthalmologists, 35.7% and 45.6% were <1 FTE and 43.4% and 45.6% were >1 FTE in 1992 and 2018, respectively. Overall, male ophthalmologists had more patients and patient visits than female ophthalmologists, but there was little difference between male and female ophthalmologists for 1 and >1 FTE. The results for <1 FTE varied by year., Conclusions: Overall, female ophthalmologists have lower OHIP payments compared with males, but there was little difference for those stratified to 1 FTE. This overall payments difference by sex is largely explained by the higher proportion of <1 FTE females, lower proportion of >1 FTE females, and higher payments for >1 FTE males., (Copyright © 2021 Canadian Ophthalmological Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To determine the proportion of glaucoma patients in Ontario aged 25-64 who lack insurance coverage for glaucoma medications and to assess the frequency of cost-related nonadherence to glaucoma medications., Design: Cross-sectional study., Participants: Glaucoma patients on medication from 2 glaucoma clinics in Toronto, Ontario., Methods: 100 consecutive glaucoma patients aged 25-64 (not entitled to provincial drug benefit) and 100 consecutive glaucoma patients aged 65+ (entitled to provincial drug benefit), all on topical glaucoma therapy, completed a standardized questionnaire. Questions included insurance coverage for glaucoma medications, cost concerns when paying for glaucoma medications, cost-related nonadherence, and sociodemographics., Results: 25.8% of those aged 25-64 express concerns about the cost of their glaucoma medications compared to 7.1% of those aged 65+ (p < 0.001). Patients aged 25-64 were also significantly more likely to report at least one form of cost-related nonadherence (15.5% vs 2.0%, p = 0.001) and significantly more likely to report missing eye drops in a given week than patients aged 65+ (32.0% vs 16.7%, p = 0.01). 17% (95% confidence interval 11%-26%) of patients aged 25-64 self-reported having no insurance coverage for their glaucoma medications. Of those with coverage, the most common source of insurance was employer-sponsored (68.6%) with 44% requiring a copayment. The average copayment was $18 (range $2-$250) for those aged 25-64 compared with $5 in the 65+ group (range $0.62-$100)., Conclusions: 17% of glaucoma patients aged 25-64 do not have coverage for their drops. One in four expressed concerns about the cost of their glaucoma medications, and 15.5% reported cost-related nonadherence., (Copyright © 2021 Canadian Ophthalmological Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Cataract is an age-related eye disease. Visual impairment from cataract can be restored by cataract surgery. In 2004 the Canadian federal government invested in a multibillion dollar wait time strategy to shorten the wait time for cataract surgery, a government-insured health service in all Canadian jurisdictions. We assessed if this nationwide policy reduced the number of Canadians waiting for cataract surgery as more individuals with cataract were free of cataract following the rapidly conducted surgery., Methods: In this cross-sectional study we analyzed data from randomly selected individuals aged ≥ 45 years responding to the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) in 2000/2001, 2003, 2005, and the CCHS Healthy Aging in 2008/2009. Information on cataract was obtained from self-reported questionnaire. The age- and sex-standardized prevalence of cataract was calculated for comparisons., Results: Cataract was reported by 0.93 million Canadians in 2000/2001, 0.99 million in 2003, 1.10 million in 2005, and 1.34 million in 2008/2009. This corresponds to an age- and sex-standardized prevalence of 8.9% in 2000/2001, 9.0% in 2003, 9.5% in 2005, and 10.2% ( P <0.05) in 2008/2009. The increase in age- and sex-standardized prevalence was greater in individuals without secondary school graduation than those with secondary school graduation or higher (4.3% versus 1.3%, P < 0.05) and was seen in all Canadian provinces. The largest increase was documented in a province (Saskatchewan, from 9.8% in 2000/2001 to 12.6% in 2008/2009, P < 0.05) with the longest median wait times for cataract surgery (118 days in 2008) and the lowest number of ophthalmologists per 100 000 population (1.96 versus 3.35 national average)., Conclusions: The age- and sex-standardized prevalence of cataract increased 4‒5 years after the multibil- lion-dollar wait time strategy was launched in 2004. A lower threshold to diagnose cataract may be one potential reason for this finding. Further research is needed to understand the true reasons for the increase., Competing Interests: None., (© Author(s).)

Objective: To present outcomes of Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK) in eyes with prior trabeculectomy or a glaucoma drainage device (GDD)., Methods: A retrospective case series, including patients that had previously undergone trabeculectomy and/or GDD implantation, who later underwent DMEK between 2013 and 2016 at Toronto Western Hospital and the Kensington Eye Institute. Outcome measures: best spectacle-corrected visual acuity (BSCVA), endothelial cell (EC) density, intraoperative and postoperative complications., Results: Twenty-seven eyes of 27 patients were included. All DMEK procedures were uneventful. Mean follow-up time was 14.6 ± 6.1 months. In eyes with no visually limiting comorbidities ( n = 16), BSCVA improved from 1.34 ± 0.65 logMAR (Snellen equivalent ~20/440) preoperatively to 0.51 ± 0.24 logMAR (Snellen equivalent ~20/65) and 0.50 ± 0.33 logMAR (Snellen equivalent ~20/65) at 6 and 12 months, respectively ( p < 0.001 for both). In eyes with visually limiting comorbidities ( n = 11), BSCVA improved from 1.92 ± 0.72 logMAR (Snellen equivalent ~20/1665) preoperatively to 1.43 ± 0.83 logMAR (Snellen equivalent ~20/540) and 1.37 ± 0.99 logMAR (Snellen equivalent ~20/470) at 6 and 12 months, respectively ( p = 0.008 and p = 0.037).Graft detachment rate was 24.1% and rebubble rate was 17.2%. Primary and secondary graft failure rates were 3.7% and 10.3%, respectively. Rejection rate was 17.2%. EC-loss rate at 6 months and 12 months was 36.7% and 50.5%, respectively., Conclusions: DMEK performed in eyes with previous trabeculectomy or a GDD is more challenging than conventional DMEK, but has good outcomes. Higher rates of graft rejection and secondary graft failure in this setting should be further evaluated in long-term studies.

Purpose: To summarize COVID-19 research endeavors by ophthalmologists/researchers in terms of publication numbers, journals and author countries, and to detail key findings., Methods: The LitCovid database was systematically reviewed for ophthalmology-focused COVID-19 articles. The quality of the evidence was assessed for articles investigating conjunctivitis in COVID-19 patients., Results: There were 21,364 articles in LitCovid on June 12, 2020, of which 215 (1%) were ophthalmology-focused. Of articles on COVID-19 transmission, 3.3% were ophthalmology-focused. Ophthalmology-focused articles were published in 68 journals and originated from 25 countries. The top five countries publishing ophthalmology-focused articles (China, India, United States of America, Italy, and United Kingdom) produced 145/215 (67%) articles. A total of 16 case reports/series from eight countries reported that conjunctivitis can be the initial or the only symptom of COVID-19 infection. Conjunctivitis may occur in the middle phase of COVID-19 illness. A total of 10 hospital-based cross-sectional studies reported that between 0% and 31.6% of COVID-19 patients have conjunctivitis or other ocular conditions, with a pooled prevalence of 5.5% reported in a meta-analysis. Viral RNA was detected in conjunctival swabs of patients with and without ocular manifestations, after resolution of conjunctivitis, after nasopharyngeal swabs turned negative and in retina of deceased COVID-19 patients., Conclusion: Within 3 months of declaring the COVID-19 pandemic, 215 ophthalmology-focused articles were published in PubMed, concentrating on disease manifestations and transmission. The reported presence of conjunctivitis or other ocular conditions in COVID-19 patients is varied. Clinicians should be alert for ocular involvement in COVID-19 infections and possible ocular transmission even in patients without ocular symptoms.

Background: Insurance coverage may reduce cost barriers to obtain vision correction. Our aim was to determine the frequency and source of prescription eyewear insurance to understand how Canadians finance optical correction., Methods: We conducted a repeated population-based cross-sectional study using 2003, 2005 and 2013-2014 Canadian Community Health Survey data from respondents aged 12 years or older from Ontario, Canada. In this group, the cost of prescription eyewear is not covered by the government unless one is registered with a social assistance program or belongs to a specific population. We determined the frequency and source of insurance coverage for prescription eyewear in proportions. We used survey weights provided by Statistics Canada in all analyses to account for sample selection, a complex survey, and adjustments for seasonal effect, poststratification, nonresponse and calibration. We compared unadjusted proportions and adjusted prevalence ratios (PRs) of having insurance., Results: Insurance covered all or part of the costs of prescription eyewear for 62% of Ontarians in all 3 survey years. Of those insured, 84.1%-86.0% had employer-sponsored coverage, 9.0%-10.3% had government-sponsored coverage, and 5.7%-6.8% had private plans. Employer-sponsored coverage remained constant for those in households with postsecondary graduation but decreased significantly for those in households with less than secondary school graduation, from 67.0% (95% confidence interval [CI] 63.2%-70.8%) ( n = 175 000) in 2005 to 54.6% (95% CI 50.1%-59.2%) ( n = 123 500) in 2013-2014. Government-sponsored coverage increased significantly for those in households with less than secondary school graduation, from 29.2% (95% CI 25.5%-32.9%) ( n = 76 400) in 2005 to 41.7% (95% CI 37.2%-46.1%) ( n = 93 900) in 2013-2014. In 2013-2014, Ontarians in households with less than secondary school graduation were less likely than those with secondary school graduation to report employer-sponsored coverage (adjusted PR 0.79, 95% CI 0.75-0.84) but were more likely to have government-sponsored coverage (adjusted PR 1.27, 95% CI 1.06-1.53)., Interpretation: Sixty-two percent of Ontarians had prescription eyewear insurance in 2003, 2005 and 2013-2014; the largest source of insurance was employers, primarily covering those with higher education levels, whereas government-sponsored insurance increased significantly among those with lower education levels. Further research is needed to elucidate barriers to obtaining prescription eyewear and the degree to which affordability impairs access to vision correction., Competing Interests: Competing interests: Sherif El-Defrawy reports research grant support from Alcon, outside the submitted work. Ya-Ping Jin reports research grant support from the Lindenfield Family Research Grant for this study, and from the Glaucoma Research Society of Canada and the Kensington Eye Institute, outside the submitted work. Yvonne Buys reports consulting fees from Allergan and Bausch & Lomb, outside the submitted work. No other competing interests were declared., (© 2021 Joule Inc. or its licensors.)

Objective: To determine the proportion of indexed ophthalmology journals with article processing charges (APCs) and potential factors associated with APCs., Design: Cross-sectional study., Participants: Web of Science-indexed Ophthalmology journals in 2019., Methods: Indexed ophthalmology journal web sites were reviewed to obtain information on APCs, impact factor (IF), publication mode, publisher type, journal affiliation, waiver discount, and continent of origin. For data unavailable on the web site, the journal was contacted. Journal publication mode was categorized into subscription, fully open access, and hybrid (open access and subscription combined). Linear regression analysis was used to evaluate the association between APCs and the above variables., Main Outcome Measure: Proportion of ophthalmology journals with APCs., Results: 59 indexed ophthalmology journals were identified; 3 (5.1%) subscription only, 10 (16.9%) open access, and 46 (78.0%) hybrid. Overall 52/59 (88.1%) journals had APCs; 10 of 59 journals (16.9%) required APCs for publication (7 fully open access and 3 hybrid journals), whereas 42/59 (71.2%, all hybrid journals) had optional APCs for open access. The 7/59 journals (11.9%) without APCs included 100% (3/3) of the subscription-only journals, 30% (3/10) of the open access, and 2% (1/46) of the hybrid journals. The mean cost for journals with APCs was US$2854 ± 708.9 (range US$490-5000). Higher IF, publication mode, and commercial publishers were associated with higher APCs., Conclusions: 16.9% of indexed ophthalmology journals in 2019 required APCs, and additional 71.2% hybrid journals had APCs for the option of open access. Independent predictors of APCs were IF and publication mode., (Copyright © 2020 Canadian Ophthalmological Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Micro- or minimally invasive glaucoma surgeries (MIGS) have been the latest addition to the glaucoma surgical treatment paradigm. This term refers not to a single surgery, but rather to a group of distinct procedures and devices that aim to decrease intraocular pressure. Broadly, MIGS can be categorized into surgeries that increase the trabecular outflow [Trabectome, iStent (first and second generations), Hydrus microstent, Kahook Dual Blade and gonioscopy-assisted transluminal trabeculotomy], surgeries that increase suprachoroidal outflow (Cypass microstent and iStent Supra), and conjunctival bleb-forming procedures (Xen gel stent and InnFocus microshunt). Compared to traditional glaucoma surgeries, such as trabeculectomy and glaucoma drainage device implantation (Ahmed, Baerveldt, and Molteno valves), MIGS are touted to have less severe complications and shorter surgical time. MIGS represent an evolving field, and the efficacy and complications of each procedure should be considered independently, giving more importance to high-quality and longer-term studies.

Background: In 2004, Ontario delisted routine eye examinations for people aged 20-64 years, potentially encouraging patients seeking eye care to visit government-insured primary care providers (PCPs) rather than optometrists whose services had been deinsured. We investigated if utilization of PCP services for nonrefractive eye conditions increased after 2004 among Ontarians who were affected by the delisting., Methods: We conducted a comparative analysis of the utilization of PCP services for nonrefractive eye conditions in Ontario using administrative data from 2000 to 2014. We included participants without a visit to government-insured optometrists or ophthalmologists in the year before the study year; we excluded participants with existing diabetes. Changes in utilization before and after delisting were statistically assessed using segmented regression analysis in subgroups stratified by age, sex, rurality and neighbourhood income., Results: A significant increase in utilization of PCP services for nonrefractive ocular diagnoses after 2004 was documented among people affected by the delisting: 17.8% (95% confidence interval [CI] 17.0% to 18.7%) for people aged 20-39 years and 11.6% (95% CI 10.6% to 12.5%) for people aged 40-64 years. This corresponds to an increase in the number of patients who visited PCPs for nonrefractive ocular diagnoses of 10 690 (95% CI 321 to 21 059) for people aged 20-39 years and 20 682 (95% CI -94 to 41 457) for people aged 40-64 years. Among people aged 65 years and older (an age group not affected by the delisting), utilization of PCP services for nonrefractive ocular diagnoses was stable ( p = 0.95) throughout the study period. Changes in utilization of PCP services for nonocular diagnoses were nonsignificant among people aged 0-19, 40-64 and 65 years and older., Interpretation: After delisting, utilization of the services of government-funded PCPs for nonrefractive ocular diagnoses significantly increased among Ontarians affected by the delisting. The impact on ocular outcomes and the cost-effectiveness of increased use of PCPs for ocular management warrants further investigation and policy-makers' consideration., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (Copyright 2020, Joule Inc. or its licensors.)

Background: Intraocular lens fixation surgery is associated with fluctuations in intraocular pressure. This may be significantly relevant in glaucoma patients., Objectives: To assess short- and medium-term intraocular pressure control after trans-scleral intraocular lens fixation surgery in glaucoma patients., Methods: The charts of all glaucoma patients who underwent trans-scleral intraocular lens fixation surgery with at least 6 months follow-up by a single surgeon between the years 2004 and 2017 were reviewed. Primary outcomes were intraocular pressure at 1 day and 6 months after surgery. Secondary outcome measures were hypotensive medication use and the need for further intraocular pressure lowering interventions., Results: Eleven eyes of 10 patients were included in the analysis. Mean follow-up post intraocular lens fixation surgery was 54.6 months. Mean intraocular pressure before, 6 months, and last follow-up after intraocular lens fixation surgery was 15.8 ± 5.3 mmHg (range 10.6-25.3), 13.5 ± 3.8 mmHg (range 8-21, p = 0.2), and 11.8 ± 5.6 (range 6-21, p = 0.09) on a mean of 2.3 ± 1.6, 2 ± 1.6 (p = 0.23), and 1.7 ± 1.5 (p = 0.08) hypotensive medications, respectively. A pressure spike was noted in 5 of the 11 eyes on the first post-operative day (mean spike 15.2 mmHg, range 6-23). Four of 11 eyes in the study (36%) needed additional interventions to control intraocular pressure by the 6-month point. One eye required the addition of two classes of topical medications, one eye required laser trabeculoplasty, and two eyes required trabeculectomy., Conclusion: Over a third of glaucomatous eyes required a change in the management of their disease in the early post-operative period. Close follow-up of patients undergoing trans-scleral intraocular lens fixation surgery is warranted.

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of changes in position in the trans-lamina cribrosa pressure difference (TLCPD) by simultaneously measuring and comparing intracranial pressure (ICP) with intraocular pressure (IOP) in seated and supine positions., Design: Prospective cohort study., Participants: Patients admitted to the neurosurgery unit at Toronto Western Hospital with an external ventricular drain placed for ICP monitoring. Exclusion criteria were any ophthalmic surgical procedures within the preceding 6 months, history of glaucoma, and corneal abnormalities affecting IOP measurement., Methods: Intraocular pressure and ICP were recorded simultaneously in both the supine and seated positions with the order of positions randomized. Measurements were made 10 minutes after assuming each position. The TLCPD (IOP minus ICP) was calculated for the sitting and supine positions. The paired t test was used to assess significance of differences., Main Outcome Measure: The TLCPD., Results: Twenty patients were included in the study. The average age was 54±17 years. Results were similar for left and right eyes. Data are shown for right eyes only. Mean sitting and supine IOPs were 15.3±3.5 mmHg and 15.9±3.7 mmHg, respectively (P = 0.32). Mean sitting and supine ICPs were 12.5±6.8 mmHg and 12.8±5.1 mmHg, respectively (P = 0.66). Mean TLCPD was 3.1±6.0 mmHg in the sitting position and 3.1±7.0 mmHg in the supine position (P = 1.00). Supine TLCPD increased in 10 patients (50%), decreased in 8 patients (40%), and was unchanged in 2 patients (10%)., Conclusions: In this pilot study of 20 neurosurgical patients without glaucoma, posture-induced TLCPD changes were variable., (Copyright © 2020 American Academy of Ophthalmology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

We report a case of acute angle closure with significantly elevated intraocular pressure 9 hours after implantation of a phakic intraocular lens for high myopia.

Objective: To present an overview of complaints against ophthalmologists to the regulatory body in the province of Ontario, Canada, during a 5-year period., Design: Retrospective cross-sectional study., Methods: All completed complaints to the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO) involving ophthalmologists from January 2013 to May 2018 were reviewed. Data regarding the prevalence of complaints, physician characteristics, practice location, reason of complaint, and outcomes as decided by the Inquiries, Complaints and Reports Committee (ICRC) were collected. Identified concerns were classified across 3 domains: clinical care and treatment, professionalism and conduct, and practice management., Results: There were 372 complaints involving 211 ophthalmologists out of 448 practicing ophthalmologists in Ontario. A total of 933 issues were raised in the 372 complaints. Complaints related to clinical care and treatment were most common (76.3%), followed by professionalism and conduct (55.4%) and practice management (24.7%). Within these domains, the 5 largest subcategories in order of occurrence were communication, billing practices, consent, procedural mishap, and documentation. Of the 372 investigations, the ICRC took some form of action in 117 cases (31.4%). The most common actionable decisions issued by the ICRC were advice (19.1%), caution (6.2%), and participation in a specified continuing educational or remediation program (3.5%). Four cases (1.1%) were referred to the Discipline Committee., Conclusions: Almost half of practicing ophthalmologists in Ontario (47%) received at least one formal CPSO complaint within the 5-year study period. Communication was the most common issue raised in complaints., (Copyright © 2019 Canadian Ophthalmological Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: To report on the 2003-2013 trends in sociodemographics, financial support, and use of vision care benefits by visually impaired (VI) individuals in the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP)., Design: Retrospective analysis., Participants: ODSP recipients with a VI diagnosis from 2003 to 2013., Methods: ODSP administrative data were analyzed. VI diagnoses were identified using International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision codes. Diabetes was excluded and then included as part of the VI definition., Results: Per 100 000 population, the age-standardized number of VI recipients increased from 35 in 2003 to 39 (p < 0.05) in 2013 when diabetes was excluded from the analyses. The mean age of VI recipients increased from 43 to 46 years. Females and married/common-law status consistently represented 42% and 23% of VI individuals, respectively. The financial value of in-kind benefits (e.g., providing shelter cost) and "cash" assistance grew in parallel over the 11 years. The total financial support in 2013 Canadian dollars increased from 81 million dollars in 2003 to 102 million dollars in 2013. Use of ODSP-provided vision care benefits ranged from 0.6% to 1.9% for eye examinations and eyeglasses, from 0.3% to 0.8% for optical visual aids, and from 3.4% to 4.2% for guide dogs. Results were strongly similar when diabetes was included in the analyses., Conclusions: The ODSP-supported VI recipients and related financial support increased significantly from 2003 to 2013. The ODSP-provided vision care benefits were seldom used. Studies are needed to understand reasons for the reported increased number of VI recipients and the low use of vision care benefits., (Copyright © 2020 Canadian Ophthalmological Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: To compare the effect of age, sex and generation on physician practice patterns in Ontario, Canada., Design: Retrospective cohort study., Methods: Physician and patient data from 1992-2013 were used to calculate the yearly number of physicians, distinct patients seen, patient visits, government payments, physician age, sex, specialty, and year of birth. Age-period-cohort models were used for analysis., Results: There was a negligible change in the number of distinct patients for all physicians and family physicians and a 20.6% decrease for ophthalmologists. There were small declines in yearly visits for all physicians (14.2%) and family physicians (17.3%) and a 10.0% increase for ophthalmologists. There were a lower number of visits (and patients for ophthalmologists) in each succeeding recent birth cohort. For all groups and birth cohorts, male physicians had a significantly greater number of visits and patients. Median payments increased over time in all groups and were less for women with an average women-to-men ratio of 0.64 for all physicians, 0.75 for family physicians, and 0.59 for ophthalmologists. After adjusting for the number of visits and patients, sex differences in payments remained significant for all physicians and ophthalmologists but were no longer significant for family physicians., Conclusion: Younger cohorts of Ontario physicians have greater yearly payments compared with older cohorts at the same age despite similar or a slightly lower number of visits and patients. The sex gap of payments was mostly explained by differences in the number of patients and visits for family physicians but remained significant for all physicians and ophthalmologists., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To review the trends in adult strabismus procedures in Ontario from 2000-2013., Design: Population-based, retrospective data analysis., Participants: All patients 18 years or older who underwent a strabismus related procedure in Ontario and all ophthalmologists who performed these procedures from 2000-2013., Methods: Ontario Health Insurance Plan billing claims for strabismus procedures were collected and subdivided by number of muscles repaired, the use of adjustable sutures, repeat procedures, and pharmacological injection of the extraocular muscles adjusted by the total adult population. The number of ophthalmologists performing adult strabismus surgery was also analyzed, subdivided by high-volume and low-volume surgeons., Results: From 2000-2013, per 100 000 adult population, the number of total strabismus surgeries in Ontario increased 26.0%; single-muscle surgery increased 24.2%, 2-muscle surgery increased 43.1%, and 3 or more muscle surgery increased 3.8%. During the study period, strabismus procedures using adjustable sutures increased 30.3%, and repeat procedures increased 19.1%. The number of surgeons performing adult strabismus surgery decreased 30.0% from 2000-2013. In 2013, 92.6% of surgeries were performed by 35.7% of surgeons who performed adult strabismus surgery., Conclusion: From 2000-2013, more strabismus surgery was performed in adults by fewer surgeons, including procedures using adjustable sutures and repeat procedures. These increases may be due to increases in health care funding and a heightened awareness of the functional and psychosocial benefits of strabismus surgery., (Copyright © 2018 Canadian Ophthalmological Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Social participation benefits health. We assessed the relationship between self-reported visual impairment (VI) and glaucoma versus seniors' social participation., Methods: Data from individuals aged ≥65 years responding to the Canadian Community Health Survey Healthy Aging 2008/2009 (n = 16,369) was analyzed. Participation in eight social activities by seniors with and without self-reported VI or glaucoma was compared., Results: Seniors with VI had significantly reduced participation (p<0.05) in sports/physical activities (18.0% vs. 33.6%), family/friendship activities outside the household (39.7% vs. 53.0%), service club/fraternal organization activities (11.4% vs. 18.4%), volunteer/charity work (13.4% vs. 24.9%), educational/cultural activities (16.2% vs. 24.5%), and other social recreational activities (21.6% vs. 31.0%) compared to those without VI. Differences in participation in church/religious activities (40.6% vs. 44.5%) and community/professional association activities (15.3% vs. 18.0%) were non-significant between seniors with and without VI. Seniors with glaucoma versus those without had significantly reduced participation (p<0.05) in family/friendship activities (46.6% vs. 52.9%), sports/physical activities (26.0% vs. 33.6%) and volunteer/charity work (20.4% vs. 24.9%). No participation in any social activity was significantly higher among seniors with VI versus those without (10.1% vs. 2.9%, p<0.05), but was similar among seniors with and without glaucoma (3.9% vs. 3.1%, p>0.05). After adjusting for the effects of age, sex, education, household income, ethnicity, job status and chronic diseases (adjusted odds ratio, aOR = 3.4 (95% confidence interval (CI) 2.0-5.8), seniors with VI but no glaucoma were more likely not to engage in any social activities compared to seniors without VI and no glaucoma. Seniors with glaucoma but without VI had a similar level of non-participation (aOR = 0.9, 95%% CI 0.5-1.7)., Conclusions: Significantly reduced social participation was found across six community activities among seniors with self-reported VI and in three activities among those with self-reported glaucoma. Policies and programs that help seniors with VI or glaucoma engage in social activities are needed., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Objective: To assess the impact of presenting visual impairment (PVI) on the utilization of formal home care services in Canada. Formal home care services were defined as services provided by professionals. Presenting visual impairment was self-reported impaired vision., Design: Cross-sectional survey., Participants: Respondents to the Canadian Community Health Survey - Healthy Aging 2008/2009 (n = 30 865)., Methods: Self-reported utilization of formal home care services were compared by PVI status and sociodemographic groups., Results: Overall, 23.9% of Canadians aged 45+ years with PVI utilized home care services versus 4.8% of those without (p < 0.0001). Canadians aged 65+ years (11.5%) used home care services more frequently than those aged 45-64 years (2.3%; p < 0.001). Among Canadians aged 65+ years, Caucasians (11.8%) were more frequent users than non-Caucasians (2.9%; p = 0.0002). Among Caucasians aged 65+ years, higher levels of utilization were documented in seniors with PVI (32.3%) versus those without (11.0%; p < 0.0001), females (14.5%) versus males (8.5%; p < 0.0001), seniors without a partner (18.6%) versus those with a partner (7.9%; p < 0.001), and seniors with incomes under the 20th percentile (14.7%) versus their peers with incomes ≥20th percentile (9.8%; p < 0.0001). Seniors with PVI were 30% more likely than those without to utilize home care services after adjusting for confounding effects (prevalence ratio = 1.3, 95% CI 1.1-2.5). Among nonusers of home care services, unmet needs for home care services were reported by 10.0% of Caucasian seniors with PVI versus 3.1% of those without PVI (p < 0.0001)., Conclusions: Canadians with visual impairment are more likely to utilize formal home care services compared to those without., (Copyright © 2019 Canadian Ophthalmological Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: To evaluate long-term (4.5 to 6 y) changes in the position of Ahmed glaucoma valve (AGV) tubes., Materials and Methods: Adult patients aged 18 years and above, 1 to 2 months post-AGV implantation were enrolled. Tube position was evaluated using anterior segment optical coherence tomography at baseline and final follow-up. The intracameral tube length (ICL), tube-cornea (TC) distance, and cornea-tube angle were measured. Wilcoxon-signed rank test was used to assess whether the changes in parameters from baseline were significant., Results: In total, 11 eyes of 9 patients were included in the analysis. Mean duration of follow-up was 5.2±0.8 years (4.4 to 6.1 y). The ICL increased from 1.58±0.40 to 1.74±0.62 mm (P=0.18). The TC decreased from 0.36±0.12 to 0.29±0.05 mm (P=0.04). The cornea-tube angle decreased from 27.76±5.57 to 24.82±5.69 degrees (P=0.08). Overall, 73% of the tubes moved toward the cornea (mean 0.11 mm, over 4.4 to 6.1 y). In total, 73% showed an increase in ICL; 45% showed an increase of >0.3 mm [mean 0.50 mm (33%) increase]. Two of 11 tubes (18%) showed no significant change in the parameters (ICL, 0.03 and 0.01 mm increase; TC, 0 and 0.01 mm increase); these tubes were noted to lie on the iris., Conclusions: Tubes tend to move toward the cornea over time. To avoid corneal damage and involvement of the visual axis in the future, tubes should be reasonably short and inserted tangentially, preferably in the posterior one third of the anterior chamber.

Purpose: To determine how well microinvasive glaucoma surgical (MIGS) trials conform to the World Glaucoma Association (WGA) guidelines. Lack of well-designed MIGS studies hinders meaningful evaluation of these technologies., Design: Cross-sectional literature survey., Methods: Using a predefined search strategy, the following databases were searched for comparative trials involving MIGS in the English peer-reviewed literature from January 1, 2000, through June 21, 2018: Medline, EMBASE, BIOSIS, Cochrane, and Web of Science. From the WGA guidelines, 53 outcomes were selected for evaluation: methodology (n = 31), definition of success (n = 7), ethics (n = 10), postoperative complications (n = 1), economic evaluation (n = 1), and statistical reporting (n = 3). Each article was assessed by 2 reviewers; differences were resolved by consensus., Results: Twenty-five eligible publications were identified: 10 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and 15 nonrandomized comparative trials (non-RCTs). The mean follow-up was 19.9±11.6 months (range, 6-48 months). The mean number of outcomes adhering to the WGA guidelines of the 53 evaluated was 24.2±6.1 (45.6% compliance): 28.0±6.2 (52.8%) and 21.6±4.7 (40.8%) for RCTs and non-RCTs, respectively (P = 0.01). Mean percent compliance for each subsection were: methodology, 48.8%; definition of success, 21.1%; ethics, 55.6%; postoperative complications, 88%; economic evaluation, 0%; and statistical reporting, 37.3%. In 16 studies (64%), at least 1 author reported an association with the industry. Thirty-two percent of studies reported an author being a shareholder. Twenty-four percent of studies had an industry employee author. The primary intraocular pressure (IOP) end point was defined as both an upper limit and percentage reduction in only 4 studies (16%; 1 RCT, 3 non-RCTs). An IOP-based survival curve was provided in 7 studies (28%; none of the RCTs). Two studies (8%) included an IOP scatterplot. Twelve studies (48%) reported 95% confidence intervals. Only 4 studies (16%) used the mean of 3 diurnal IOP readings as the baseline IOP., Conclusions: Published comparative MIGS trials show low adherence (45.6%) to the WGA guidelines. Development of standardized methodology and outcomes could enhance interpretation and transparency of study results and facilitate comparisons between trials. Authors and journals should be encouraged to follow the WGA guidelines., (Copyright © 2019 American Academy of Ophthalmology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: To investigate if glaucoma severity and the presence of self-reported glare and difficulty with dark adaptation are associated with driving difficulty or cessation., Patients and Methods: Individuals with glaucoma, age 50+ and visual acuity in the better eye ≥20/50 were included. Glaucoma severity was defined by the visual field mean deviation (MD) in the better eye and was classified into 2 groups: mild (MD>-6 dB) and moderate/severe (MD≤-6 dB). Patient responses to the glare and dark adaptation subscales in Glaucoma Quality of Life-15 questionnaire were used to measure relevant visual disability. Associations were assessed utilizing prevalence ratios (PR)., Results: A total of 99 participants (57% female) were included with 19% (19/99) reporting driving cessation. Patients with moderate/severe glaucoma when compared with mild glaucoma reported a significantly higher percentage of driving cessation (33% vs. 8%; P=0.002), presence of glare (27% vs. 6%; P=0.012), and difficulty with dark adaptation (31% vs. 10%; P=0.011).Individuals with self-perceived difficulty with dark adaptation were about 4 times more likely than those without to have difficulty driving at night (adjusted PR=3.94; P<0.0001) or in poor driving conditions (adjusted PR=4.09; P=0.0002). Self-reported glare was associated with an increased risk of driving difficulty in poor driving conditions (PR=4.17; P=0.05)., Conclusions: Patients with moderate/severe glaucomatous visual field loss reported significantly higher percentage of driving cessation, presence of glare and difficulty with dark adaptation. Difficulty with dark adaptation was significantly associated with difficulty driving at night or in poor driving conditions. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings.

Purpose: This study evaluated the effect of preoperative brimonidine tartrate 0.2% on intraocular pressure (IOP) during robotic-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy in steep Trendelenburg position (sTBURG)., Materials and Methods: In this prospective randomized controlled masked interventional trial, eligible patients scheduled for robotic-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy in sTBURG at the Toronto General Hospital had one eye randomized to placebo (artificial tears) or drug (brimonidine tartrate 0.2%) preoperatively. Visual acuity (VA), tonometry, disc photography, visual field (VF), and retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) assessments were performed preoperatively and postoperatively. A standardized anesthetic protocol was followed intraoperatively. IOP was measured using Tono-Pen AVIA (Reichert Inc., New York, NY) as follows: preanesthesia supine, anesthetized supine, hourly in sTBURG and awake supine. The primary outcome was IOP in sTBURG in the drug group compared with the placebo group. Secondary outcomes were changes in VA, VF, RNFL thickness, mean arterial pressure, and ocular perfusion pressure. This study was approved by University Health Network Research Ethics Board., Results: In total, 26 eligible patients, mean age 61.9±5.1 years, were randomized to brimonidine (11 patients) and placebo (15 patients). Baseline IOP was not significantly different between the drug and placebo groups (P=0.42). Significant and sustained IOP elevation of >1.5X baseline in the sTBURG was noted in both groups. The mean IOP 1 hour after sTBURG was 29.4±6.9 and 27.2±3.4 mm Hg in the drug and placebo groups, respectively (P=0.35). No significant changes were noted in VA, VF, or RNFL., Conclusions: Significant and sustained IOP increases occur during sTBURG. Preoperative brimonidine does not prevent IOP spikes in sTBURG.