Overview

• Two studies unveiled at the 43rd ESCRS Congress indicate immediate sequential bilateral cataract surgery can match or outperform staged operations for most patients.
• Moorfields Eye Hospital analyzed 10,192 bilateral cases from December 2023 to December 2024 and found multifocal same-day procedures delivered the best outcomes, with 85% reaching 20/20 vision or better.
• In the Moorfields cohort, about 70% of monofocal patients achieved 20/20 regardless of timing, and multifocal same-day cases showed high refractive accuracy (88% within ±0.5 diopters; 100% within ±1.0).
• A Danish survey of 157 same-day patients (72% response) reported early independence at home for most respondents, including 88% navigating their home and 79% preparing food, though 51% still needed help with eye drops.
• ESCRS officials welcomed the potential for fewer visits, faster recovery and lower costs while emphasizing that any wider adoption must preserve rigorous perioperative safety and continue tracking complications.