Do evidence-based guidelines change clinical practice patterns?

In 2013, the Danish Health and Medicines Authorities published a National Clinical Guideline on the treatment of age-related cataracts. The guideline provided evidence-based recommendations on the indication for cataract surgery, cataract surgery in patients with age-related macular degeneration, on the use of toric intraocular lenses (IOLs) to correct preoperative corneal astigmatism, the use of intracameral and topical antibiotics to prevent endophthalmitis, choice of anti-inflammatory medication to control postoperative inflammation and prevent cystoid macular oedema, the use of immediate sequential bilateral cataract surgery and on the postoperative check-up of patients. A questionnaire was sent to all members of the Danish Ophthalmological Society before and after publication of the guideline.

THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN CUTICULAR DRUSEN AND KIDNEY FUNCTION: A Population-Based Case-Control Study.

Purpose: To determine the association between cuticular drusen (CD) and kidney function.

Design: observational case-control study.

Setting: Population-based.

Danish Rural Eye Study: Epidemiology of Adult Visual Impairment.

Purpose: To examine the frequency and causes of visual impairment (VI) in a select population of Danish adults.

Methods: A total of 3843 adults aged 20-94 years from the Danish General Suburban Population Study (GESUS) were included in the population-based, cross-sectional ophthalmological study, Danish Rural Eye Study (DRES). All DRES participants received a comprehensive general health examination preceding their eye examination, including measurement of best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) for each eye, bilateral 45° retinal fundus photographs and further ophthalmological examination where indicated.

Safety of deferring review after uneventful cataract surgery until 2 weeks postoperatively.

Unlabelled: We conducted a systematic review and metaanalysis to provide evidence-based recommendations on the value of early postoperative review. We identified 3 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared patients seen on the first postoperative day with those reviewed at 2 weeks; the 3 studies comprised 886 patients. The risk for postoperative complications was lower when review was deferred 2 weeks because of early transient pressure spikes.

Toric Intraocular Lenses in the Correction of Astigmatism During Cataract Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Topic: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the benefit and harms associated with implantation of toric intraocular lenses (IOLs) during cataract surgery. Outcomes were postoperative uncorrected distance visual acuity (UCDVA) and distance spectacle independence. Harms were evaluated as surgical complications and residual astigmatism.

Immediate Sequential Bilateral Cataract Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

The aim of the present systematic review was to examine the benefits and harms associated with immediate sequential bilateral cataract surgery (ISBCS) with specific emphasis on the rate of complications, postoperative anisometropia, and subjective visual function in order to formulate evidence-based national Danish guidelines for cataract surgery. A systematic literature review in PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane central databases identified three randomized controlled trials that compared outcome in patients randomized to ISBCS or bilateral cataract surgery on two different dates. Meta-analyses were performed using the Cochrane Review Manager software.

An evaluation of fundus photography and fundus autofluorescence in the diagnosis of cuticular drusen.

Purpose: To examine non-mydriatic fundus photography (FP) and fundus autofluorescence (FAF) as alternative non-invasive imaging modalities to fluorescein angiography (FA) in the detection of cuticular drusen (CD).

Methods: Among 2953 adults from the Danish Rural Eye Study (DRES) with gradable FP, three study groups were selected: (1) All those with suspected CD without age-related macular degeneration (AMD) on FP, (2) all those with suspected CD with AMD on FP and (3) a randomly selected group with early AMD. Groups 1, 2 and 3 underwent FA and FAF and group 4 underwent FAF only as part of DRES CD substudy.

Indication for cataract surgery. Do we have evidence of who will benefit from surgery? A systematic review and meta-analysis.

The need for cataract surgery is expected to rise dramatically in the future due to the increasing proportion of elderly citizens and increasing demands for optimum visual function. The aim of this study was to provide an evidence-based recommendation for the indication of cataract surgery based on which group of patients are most likely to benefit from surgery. A systematic literature search was performed in the MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE and COCHRANE LIBRARY databases.

Antibiotic prevention of postcataract endophthalmitis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Endophthalmitis is one of the most feared complications after cataract surgery. The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the effect of intracameral and topical antibiotics on the prevention of endophthalmitis after cataract surgery. A systematic literature review in the MEDLINE, CINAHL, Cochrane Library and EMBASE databases revealed one randomized trial and 17 observational studies concerning the prophylactic effect of intracameral antibiotic administration on the rate of endophthalmitis after cataract surgery.

Cataract surgery and age-related macular degeneration. An evidence-based update.

Purpose: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and cataract often coexist in patients and concerns that cataract surgery is associated with an increased risk of incidence or progression of existing AMD has been raised. This systematic review and meta-analysis is focused on presenting the evidence concerning progression of AMD in patients undergoing cataract surgery.

Methods: We performed a systematic literature search in the PubMed, Medline, Cochrane Library and CINAHL databases.

Danish Rural Eye Study: the association of preschool vision screening with the prevalence of amblyopia.

Purpose: To determine the prevalence of amblyopia in Denmark before and after the initiation of the Danish national preschool vision screening programme.

Methods: In a population-based cross-sectional study, 3826 participants of the Danish General Suburban Population Study (GESUS) aged 20 years and older from a Danish rural municipality received a complete general health examination and an ophthalmological interview and examination. This study included a comprehensive ophthalmologic interview, measurement of best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) in each eye, Hirschberg's test for strabismus and two 45-degree retinal fundus photographs of each eye.

Post-cataract prevention of inflammation and macular edema by steroid and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory eye drops: a systematic review.

Purpose: Favorable outcome after cataract surgery depends on proper control of the inflammatory response induced by cataract surgery. Pseudophakic cystoid macular edema is an important cause of visual decline after uncomplicated cataract surgery.

Design: We compared the efficacy of topical steroids with topical nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in controlling inflammation and preventing pseudophakic cystoid macular edema (PCME) after uncomplicated cataract surgery.