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Elizabeth Evans' letter
implying that ophthalmic consultants are not enthusiastic about day case surgery for cataract operations due to their interest in private practice is highly irresponsible. Day case cataract surgery has become popular and is indeed desirable due to the present day technological advances. Ophthalmic surgeons help deliver this to their patients; to suggest that they are not enthusiastic about day case due to some ulterior motives defies belief.
She fails to appreciate that the waiting lists result from the mismatch between the number of patients being added to the list and the number of operations being performed, the latter being dependent upon the operating time available to an individual surgeon. Whether the surgery is performed on a day case basis or as an inpatient is totally irrelevant to this equation.
Day case surgery and waiting lists
Elizabeth Evans' letter
implying that ophthalmic consultants are not enthusiastic about day case surgery for cataract operations due to their interest in private practice is highly irresponsible. Day case cataract surgery has become popular and is indeed desirable due to the present day technological advances. Ophthalmic surgeons help deliver this to their patients; to suggest that they are not enthusiastic about day case due to some ulterior motives defies belief.
She fails to appreciate that the waiting lists result from the mismatch between the number of patients being added to the list and the number of operations being performed, the latter being dependent upon the operating time available to an individual surgeon. Whether the surgery is performed on a day case basis or as an inpatient is totally irrelevant to this equation.
Competing interests: No competing interests