Table 1 Top 10 research priorities for cataract, cornea, optometric, refractive topics.
CATARACT 283 respondents | % of those responding to this survey who judged this research question to be important | Average ranking of this research question by respondents On a scale of 1–10 (1 most important, 10 least) |
Q1 How can cataracts be prevented from developing? | 66.43% (188 respondents) | 2.97 |
Q2 What is the cause of cataract? How do cataracts form? | 45.23% (128 respondents) | 3.14 |
Q3 How can cataract surgery outcomes be improved? | 53.71% (152 respondents) | 3.38 |
Q4 How can cataract progression be slowed down? | 51.24% (145 respondents) | 3.74 |
Q5 What alternatives to treat cataracts other than cataract surgery are being developed? | 49.12% (139 respondents) | 3.87 |
Q6 What is the best measure of visual disability due to cataract? | 37.46% (106 respondents) | 3.89 |
Q7 How safe is bilateral simultaneous surgery? | 23.32% (66 respondents) | 4.03 |
Q8 Can the return of cloudy or blurred vision after cataract surgery known as posterior capsule opacity (PCO) or secondary cataract be prevented? | 60.78% (172 respondents) | 4.09 |
Q9 Can retinal detachment be prevented after cataract surgery? | 47.35% (134 respondents) | 4.12 |
Q10 Should we be looking at developing or using certain emerging or existing technologies in cataract care? | 32.51% (92 respondents) | 4.40 |
Q 11 Should accommodative lenses be developed for cataract surgery? | 44.17% (125 respondents) | 4.45 |
Q12 What are the roles of telemedicine/remote medicine, AI, electronic patient records, smart theatres, OCT, biometry and other technologies in the future of cataract care? | 24.03% (68 respondents) | 4.84 |
Q13 What are the outcomes for cataract surgery among people with different levels of cognitive impairment (whatever the cause but including dementia, stroke, neurological conditions, head injuries)? | 22.61% (64 respondents) | 5.05 |
CORNEA 140 Respondents | Â | Â |
Q1 How can microbial keratitis treatment be improved? | 23.57% (33 respondents) | 3.00 |
Q2 What is the cause of Keratoconus and can it be prevented? | 46.43% (65 respondents) | 3.11 |
Q3 How can we prevent Keratoconus progression? | 40.71% (57 respondents) | 3.26 |
Q4 How can dry eye treatment be improved? | 46.43% (65 respondents) | 3.53 |
Q5 How can quality of life of contact lenses wearer for Keratoconus disease be improved? | 29.29% (41 respondents) | 3.59 |
Q6 How can the rejection of corneal transplants be prevented? | 43.57% (61 respondents) | 3.80 |
Q7 How can diagnosis of corneal infections be improved and how can corneal infection be prevented in high-risk individuals? | 28.57% (40 respondents) | 3.81 |
Q8 How can detection of progression in Keratoconus patients be improved ? | 35.00% (49 respondents) | 3.86 |
Q9 How to standardize the diagnosis and monitoring of dry eye? | 35.71% (50 respondents) | 3.89 |
Q10 How can ocular surface disease in children, such as blepharokeratoconjunctivitis and vernal keratoconjunctivitis be managed better? | 17.86% (25 respondents) | 3.91 |
Q11 How can utilization of corneal donor tissues be improved? | 33.57% (47 respondents) | 3.98 |
Q12 How can non-surgical therapy for Corneal endothelial dysfunctions be developed? | 32.14% (45 respondents) | 4.00 |
Q13 How can ocular complications associated with Stevens Johnson Syndrome be improved? | 10.71% (15 respondents) | 4.07 |
Q14 How can visual outcomes of corneal transplantation be improved? | 46.43% (65 respondents) | 4.52 |
Q15 How can telemedicine be improved for diagnosis, management and treatment of ocular surface disease ? | 16.43% (23 respondents) | 5.10 |
Q16 How can corneal transplant complication related to vaccinations be improved ? | 11.43% (16 respondents) | 5.33 |
OPTOMETRIC 194 Respondents | Â | Â |
Q1 Does the enhanced integration of ophthalmic primary and secondary care via community optometric care pathways lead to improved detection, treatment and management of eye disease, and to improved patient quality of life? | 77.32% (150 respondents) | 1.67 |
Q2 How can novel medical devices and technology be applied to improve the prevention, diagnosis, and management of eye disease? | 66.49% (129 respondents) | 1.98 |
Q3 What are the most appropriate measures of visual function, structure and vision-related quality-of-life for the detection and monitoring of cataracts? | 51.55% (100 respondents) | 2.34 |
Q4 How can the detection, diagnosis and management of ocular surface disorders be improved? | 41.24% (80 respondents) | 2.71 |
Q5 Can corneal infections be prevented in high-risk individuals such as contact lens wearers? | 35.05% (68 respondents) | 3.22 |
Q6 What is the most effective management of ocular complications associated with Stevens Johnson Syndrome? | 15.46% (30 respondents) | 4.14 |
REFRACTIVE 107 Respondents | Â | Â |
Q1 What factors influence the development and/or progression of refractive error (short-sightedness, astigmatism, presbyopia and long-sightedness?) | 72.90% (78 respondents) | 2.20 |
Q2 How does the wearing of spectacles (of any prescription) affect the progression of refractive error? | 61.68% (66 respondents) | 3.12 |
Q3 No intraocular lens provides as good vision and range of vision as the natural human crystalline lens, how can intraocular lens implants be further improved and their outcomes compared in a standardised way? | 36.45% (39 respondents) | 3.26 |
Q4 Could the accurate testing of refractive error be made less dependent on a subjective response ie. the person’s own response? | 48.60% (52 respondents) | 3.52 |
Q5 What are the economic and social burdens of refractive error? | 53.27% (57 respondents) | 3.45 |
Q6 Could the accurate testing of refractive error be made less dependent on a subjective response ie. the person’s own response? | 48.60% (52 respondents) | 3.52 |
Q7 To develop new treatments for presbyopia? | 32.71% (35 respondents) | 4.13 |
Q8 What factors influence the development and/ or progression of Keratoconus? | 28.04% (30 respondents) | 4.13 |
Q9 What are the long term outcomes of refractive surgery? | 33.64% (36 respondents) | 4.36 |
Q10 Are there any alternatives or better treatments for Keratoconus other than corneal collagen cross-linking? | 24.30% (26 respondents) | 4.40 |
Q11 There are many types of laser vision correction, does one have better long term outcomes and less risk of complications? | 26.17% (28 respondents) | 4.41 |
Q12 Can dry eye after laser vision correction be better treated or prevented? | 14.95% (16 respondents) | 4.65 |
Q13 What is the best way to quantify quality of vision objectively before and after refractive surgery? | 28.04% (30 respondents) | 4.74 |
Q14 How can biometry (measurement of ocular structures) and selection of the required intraocular lens implant (lens power calculations) be improved? | 23.36% (25 respondents) | 4.75 |
Q15 What are the risk factors for corneal ectasia (warping or bulging of the corneal shape) after laser vision correction and when does a cornea become at risk of ectasia following laser vision correction? | 12.15% (13 respondents) | 6.08 |
