Posterior chamber intraocular lens implantation by ophthalmology residents. A prospective study of cataract surgery.

The UCLA Cataract Surgery Study Group evaluated extracapsular cataract extraction with posterior chamber intraocular lens implantation (ECCE-posterior chamber IOL) performed by eight senior ophthalmology residents with faculty supervision and five faculty ophthalmologists experienced in intraocular lens surgery. The first 18 consecutive ECCE-posterior chamber IOL operations performed by each resident and faculty surgeon after July 1, 1981, were analyzed. All 234 operations and follow-up conformed to a predetermined protocol. Resident surgery achieved 20/40 or better final visual acuity in 88% of eyes; faculty surgery achieved 20/40 or better in 89%. Excluding cases with macular degeneration or other pre-existing eye disease, resident surgery achieved 20/40 or better final visual acuity in 95% of eyes; faculty surgery achieved 20/40 or better in 96%. There was no statistically significant difference between the results of resident surgery and faculty surgery. With supervision, ophthalmology residents achieved results generally equivalent to results obtained by experienced ophthalmic surgeons.