ISRS 2008 U.S. Trends Survey

The 2008 U.S. Trends in Refractive Surgery Survey was completed by the ISRS membership in August / September 2008 with a 16% response rate. This was the twelfth year of U.S. surgeon data collection and allows ISRS members from the United States to have their voices heard on refractive surgery.

Download the 2008 U.S. Trends Survey Presentation (PDF)

Summary of Results

• LASIK dominates between -8D and +3D and the trend is toward thinner flaps (mechanical or laser) in LASIK (40% for 100 microns or less).
• VisX still at > 2:1 over all other lasers and Intralase now dominates market share (40%).
• Over 90% perform custom ablations and 55% of refractive surgeons whenever possible).
• Comanagement stable at 59%; only 12% comanage more their half their patients.
• Over one-third of survey respondents (35%) have had modern refractive surgery done on their own eyes.
• 17% of respondents OK with bilateral P-IOL at the same surgical setting (4% with RLE).
• ASC OR is preferred location for P-IOL surgery (80%). 16% OK with “In Office” modified OR.
• Wavefront custom ablations are stable with >90%of surgeons performing them (55% whenever possible).
• 17%of respondents are OK with bilateral P-IOL and 4% with bilateral RLE at the same surgical setting.
• ReStor (14%) and Crystalens IOL (12%) outpaced the ReZoom (5%) IOL’s for preferred lensbased presbyopia option.
• Femtosecond laser leads the marketplace at 40%.
• Thinner flaps on the rise; 100 micron or less flap thickness is favored by 40% of surgeons (up from 12% in ‘04).
• RSB Thickness on the rise; 52% still think 250 microns is adequate, but 47% recommend 275 microns or more.
• New post-LASIK ectasia cases are on the decline.