Abstract
Purpose :
To analyze the trend in strabismus procedures in the paediatric population in Ontario, Canada from 2000-2013.
Methods :
Ontario Health Insurance Plan billing service claims from 2000-2013 were analyzed for the yearly number of strabismus surgeries. Procedures were subdivided by number of muscles repaired, the use of adjustable sutures and repeat procedures performed by a different surgeon. The paediatric population for Ontario (age ≤17) was obtained and the yearly incidence of strabismus surgery per 100,000 paediatric population was calculated.
Results :
Per 100,000 paediatric population, the number of total strabismus surgeries in Ontario increased 38.1% from 2000-2013. Single muscle surgeries decreased 34.4% from 2000-2006 followed by a 72% increase from 2006-2013 (overall increase 12.8%). Two muscle surgery increased 20.7% from 2000-2006, and continued to increase by 2.9% from 2006-2013. Three or more muscle surgery increased 135.4% from 2000-2013. Strabismus procedures combined with adjustable sutures decreased 32.6% from 2000-2007, followed by an over 5 fold increase (565.7%) from 2007-2013. Repeated procedures performed by another surgeon were unchanged from 2000-2002 followed by a 263.1% increase from 2002-2013.
Conclusions :
The number of paediatric strabismus procedures in Ontario has increased since 2000. Increased parental and physician awareness of the functional and psychosocial benefits following strabismus surgery may have contributed to this increase in volume. Referral to subspecialized strabismus surgeons by a decreasing number of comprehensive ophthalmologists who perform strabismus surgery may account for increased repeat procedures by a different surgeon.
This is an abstract that was submitted for the 2016 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Seattle, Wash., May 1-5, 2016.