Quantification of aerosol generation during cataract surgery.

Purpose: To determine whether phacoemulsification cataract surgery is an aerosol-generating medical procedure (AGMP) and, therefore, to help determine the personal protective equipment required by healthcare providers in the era of the COVID-19.

Setting: The Surgery, Teaching and Research Wet Lab of the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, UBC.

Design: Laboratory-based simulation.

Methods: Phacoemulsification cataract surgery was performed on porcine eyes. At a fixed distance, a DRX Aerosol Monitor 8534 (DustTrak) was used to measure particulate matter (PM) mass fractions for each of 3 particle sizes, PM1, PM2.5, and PM4 (in microns), every 2 seconds during surgery and for 1 minute after. The main outcome measure was an increase in the mass fraction of aerosolized particles of various sizes.

Results: There was no significant aerosolization of particles during cataract surgery for both the 2.4 and 2.75 mm wound sizes.

Conclusions: Phacoemulsification cataract surgery was not found to be an AGMP. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, ophthalmologists can continue to use droplet precautions while performing this surgery.