Discussing resident participation in cataract surgery.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the proportion of patients who would consent to resident participation in cataract surgery.

STUDY DESIGN

Prospective observational case series.

PARTICIPANTS

Consecutive series of patients presenting for consideration of cataract surgery.

METHODS

A specifically worded discussion of resident participation in cataract surgery was developed on the basis of literature recommendations and was used when obtaining consent for cataract surgery from eligible patients. The main outcome measure was the proportion of patients who consented to resident participation in their cataract surgery.

RESULTS

Of the 106 patients eligible for enrollment in the study, 101 (95.3%) consented to resident participation in their cataract surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite suggestions in the previous literature to the contrary, surgeons can be reassured that the vast majority of patients, when informed by means of the wording described in this study, will consent to resident participation in their cataract surgery.