Background: Cataracts are one of the leading causes of blindness in the world and disproportionately affect the elderly people and women. Sex- and race-related differences in cataract formation are not well understood. Furthermore, race and socioeconomic factors can play a role in developing systemic diseases. Earlier studies have supported a link between certain systemic diseases and cataract formation. Our study examined race-related differences in ocular and systemic comorbidities and analyzed differences among races and insurance types for cataract surgery visual outcomes among female patients with cataracts. Materials and Methods: Data were collected retrospectively and patients were grouped by race and insurance classifications. Female patients at a large tertiary center with an International Classification of Disease, 9th Edition (ICD-9) or ICD-10 cataract diagnosis or cataract extraction procedure code between January 2013 and June 2018 were included. A total of 909 female patients were included in the study. Frequency of systemic and ocular comorbidities was analyzed. Demographic factors were also compared among races. Finally, characteristics of cataract surgery patients, such as age at surgery, preoperative best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), and visual outcomes among races and insurance types were analyzed. Results: There are differences among races for frequency of smoking, hemoglobin A1c, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus in female patients with cataracts and differences among races and insurance types for preoperative BCVA for patients who underwent cataract surgery (p < 0.001 for all). Conclusions: Female minority and non-minority patients with cataracts have a high frequency of systemic and ocular comorbidities at our county hospital. Patients with no insurance and white and Hispanic patients had worse preoperative BCVA.

Background Taking parental leave during ophthalmology residency may be perceived to negatively affect resident surgical volume and educational outcomes. However, limited data exist on whether taking parental leave is associated with objective measures of resident performance. The objective of the present study was to determine the association between taking parental leave and key measures of resident performance. Methods Educational records of ophthalmology resident physicians who graduated from 2015 to 2019 at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Wilmer Eye Institute were reviewed. Measures of resident performance assessed were Ophthalmic Knowledge Assessment Program scores, number of publications during residency, Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education milestones scores, and surgical volumes. These outcomes were compared for residents who took parental leave compared with their peers who did not take parental leave. Results Twenty-five residents were included in the study. Four female residents (16%) took parental leave 8 weeks in duration. There were no significant differences between residents who did and did not take parental leave when considering mean Ophthalmic Knowledge Assessment Program scores (p = 0.27), number of publications during residency (p = 0.19), milestone scores (p-value range 0.09–0.40), and surgical volume by subspecialty category (p-value range 0.11–0.45). Conclusion Parental leave did not negatively influence any of the studied measures of resident performance.

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic temporarily suspended medical student involvement in clinical rotations, resulting in the need to develop virtual clinical experiences. The cancellation of clinical ophthalmology electives and away rotations reduces opportunities for exposure to the field, to network with faculty, conduct research, and prepare for residency applications. We review the literature and discuss the impact and consequences of COVID-19 on undergraduate medical education with an emphasis on ophthalmic undergraduate medical education. We also discuss innovative learning modalities used from medical schools around the world during the COVID-19 pandemic such as virtual didactics,online cases, and telehealth. Finally, we describe a novel, virtual neuro-ophthalmology elective created to educate medical students on neuro-ophthalmology foundational principles, provide research and presentation opportunities, and build relationships with faculty members. These innovative approaches represent a step forward in further improving medical education in ophthalmology during COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. (C) 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

PURPOSE: To assess the relationship between telemedicine utilization and sociodemographic factors among patients seeking eye care. DESIGN: Comparative utilization analysis. METHODS: We reviewed the eye care utilization patterns of a stratified random sample of 1720 patients who were seen at the University of Michigan Kellogg Eye Center during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic (April 30 to May 25, 2020) and their odds of having a video, phone, or in-person visit compared with having a deferred visit. Associations between independent variables and visit type were determined using a multinomial logistic regression model. RESULTS: Older patients had lower odds of having a video visit (P = .007) and higher odds of having an in person visit (P = .023) compared with being deferred, and in the nonretina clinic sample, older patients still had lower odds of a video visit (P = .02). Non-White patients had lower odds of having an in-person visit (P < .02) in the overall sample compared with being deferred, with a similar trend seen in the retina clinic. The mean neighborhood median household income was $76,200 (+/-$33,500) and varied significantly (P < .0001) by race with Blacks having the lowest estimated mean income. CONCLUSION: Disparities exist in how patients accessed eye care during the COVID-19 pandemic with older patients-those for whom COVID-19 posed a higher risk of mortality-being more likely to be seen for in-person care. In our affluent participant sample, there was a trend toward non-White patients being less likely to access care. Reimbursing telemedicine solely through broadband internet connection may further exacerbate disparities in eye care. (C) 2021 Published by Elsevier Inc.

Introduction: To determine the efficacy and safety of Kahook Dual Blade (KDB) goniotomy alone or combined with phacoemulsification cataract surgery to lower intraocular pressure and medication burden in Black and AfroLatinx patients with open angle glaucoma (OAG). Materials and method: A retrospective, single center case series of patients with OAG who were managed with medications and underwent phacoemulsification combined with goniotomy (PE thorn KDB) using Kahook Dual Blade or goniotomy alone (KDB alone) in pseudophakic patients. Indications for glaucoma surgery included reduction of intraocular pressure (IOP) and reduction of medication burden. Our study parameters included pre- and postoperative information on IOP, the use of IOP-lowering medications, visual field, and adverse events through 6 months of follow-up. Results: Among all 63 eyes of 63 patients undergoing surgery, Kahook goniotomy with or without phacoemulsification, mean IOP was significantly reduced from 17.4 mmHg at baseline to 14.0 mmHg at month 6 (P = 0.0012), a 19.5% reduction (KDB alone similar to 26.4%, PE thorn KDB similar to 16.6%). The mean number of topical IOP-lowering medications was reduced from 2.6 at baseline to 1.6 +/- 0.3 at month 6 (P = 0.0012), a 38.5% reduction (Kahook alone similar to 10.7%, PE thorn Kahook similar to 48.0%). Mean visual fields were stable in the PE thorn KDB group and progressed in the KDB alone group. Postoperative adverse events were mild and included transient hyphema, IOP spikes, posterior capsule opacification, tearing, glare and mild pain. Conclusion: Phacoemulsification combined with Kahook dual blade goniotomy significantly lowers both IOP and medication burden in Black and Afro-Latinx patients with open angle glaucoma. In pseudophakic patients with advanced glaucoma medication burden is not significantly reduced and visual field progression occurred. Adverse events were not sight-threatening and self limited.