Al-Swailem Samar A, Mousa Ahmed, AlMatrafi Abdulrahman, AlHilali Sara
Anterior Segment Division, King Khaled Eye Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Research Department, King Khaled Eye Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Clin Ophthalmol. 2025 Aug 18;19:2785-2792. doi: 10.2147/OPTH.S525286. eCollection 2025.
To our knowledge, there is very little research on "Immediate Sequential Bilateral Cataract Surgery" (ISBCS) among ophthalmologists in the Arab countries. This study aimed to assess the attitudes, practices, and barriers related to ISBCS among board-certified ophthalmologists in a fast-growing Arab economy.
A cross-sectional study was conducted using a validated electronic questionnaire distributed to ophthalmologists practicing cataract and intraocular lens (IOL) surgery in Saudi Arabia. The survey was open from September 22 to October 21, 2024. The questionnaire included 25 specific questions divided into four domains: benefits and importance, controlling factors, surgeons' perspectives and selectivity, and reasons for adopting or rejecting ISBCS. Responses were collected via email, WhatsApp, and LinkedIn and analyzed based on the questionnaire planned structure. Descriptive statistics were used for analysis.
A total of 95 ophthalmologists participated, 73 (76.8%) male and 22 (23.2%) female. The majority (60%) had been practicing for more than 10 years, and 69.5% worked in government hospitals. The ISBCS was actively practiced by 17.9%, while 76.8% had never performed ISBCS, and 5.3% had previously practiced but discontinued. The main benefits of ISBCS reported included fewer hospital visits, faster visual rehabilitation, and reduced costs. The primary barriers were concerns about bilateral endophthalmitis, medico-legal risks, and refractive surprises. Some non-practicing ophthalmologists expressed willingness to adopt ISBCS under specific conditions, such as cases requiring general anesthesia or congenital cataracts.
ISBCS remains underutilized among ophthalmologists in Saudi Arabia due to safety concerns and institutional policies. However, many practitioners recognize its potential benefits and may consider its adoption under specific conditions. Further research is needed to evaluate clinical outcomes, patient perspectives, patient satisfaction, opportunity cost, and cost-effectiveness to facilitate broader acceptance of ISBCS in this region.
据我们所知，阿拉伯国家的眼科医生对“即刻顺序双侧白内障手术”（ISBCS）的研究非常少。本研究旨在评估一个快速发展的阿拉伯经济体中获得委员会认证的眼科医生对ISBCS的态度、实践情况及相关障碍。
采用经过验证的电子问卷进行横断面研究，该问卷分发给在沙特阿拉伯从事白内障和人工晶状体（IOL）手术的眼科医生。调查于2024年9月22日至10月21日开放。问卷包括25个具体问题，分为四个领域：益处与重要性、控制因素、外科医生的观点与选择性，以及采用或拒绝ISBCS的原因。通过电子邮件、WhatsApp和领英收集回复，并根据问卷的计划结构进行分析。采用描述性统计进行分析。
共有95名眼科医生参与，其中73名（76.8%）为男性，22名（23.2%）为女性。大多数（60%）从业超过10年，69.5%在政府医院工作。17.9%的医生积极开展ISBCS，而76.8%的医生从未进行过ISBCS，5.3%的医生以前开展过但已停止。报告的ISBCS的主要益处包括减少医院就诊次数、更快的视力恢复和成本降低。主要障碍包括对双侧眼内炎、医疗法律风险和屈光意外的担忧。一些未开展该手术的眼科医生表示愿意在特定条件下采用ISBCS，如需要全身麻醉的病例或先天性白内障。
由于安全问题和机构政策，ISBCS在沙特阿拉伯的眼科医生中仍未得到充分利用。然而，许多从业者认识到其潜在益处，并可能在特定条件下考虑采用。需要进一步研究以评估临床结果、患者观点、患者满意度、机会成本和成本效益，以促进该地区更广泛地接受ISBCS。
