How Ophthalmologists Can Decarbonize Eye Care

Sherry, Brooke; Lee, Samuel; Cadena, Maria de los Angeles Ramos; Laynor, Gregory; Patel, Sneha; Simon, Maxine dellaBadia; Romanowski, Eric G.; Hochman, Sarah; Schuman, Joel S; Prescott, Christina; Thiel, Cassandra L.

doi:10.1016/j.ophtha.2023.02.028

Cited by 14 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 103 publications

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“…Supported by statements from major organisations such as the International Agency for Prevention of Blindness, and American Academy of Ophthalmologists, and major medical journal editors, there is now a clearer pathway to decarbonise ophthalmology. 144 One of the more practical approaches is the EyeSustain Surgical Pledge, promoting several accessible and effective interventions to which organisations and doctors can commit (Table 1). 145 The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists (RANZCO) supports a similar range of practice changes with guides for reducing waste in cataract surgery and IVI.…”

Section: Rethinkmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the ophthalmic domain, an international collaboration called EyeSustain has emerged since 2018 as a guiding body offering consensus and support for greener ophthalmology. Supported by statements from major organisations such as the International Agency for Prevention of Blindness, and American Academy of Ophthalmologists, and major medical journal editors, there is now a clearer pathway to decarbonise ophthalmology 144 . One of the more practical approaches is the EyeSustain Surgical Pledge, promoting several accessible and effective interventions to which organisations and doctors can commit (Table 1).…”

Section: Making Changes To Practicementioning

confidence: 99%

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Tracing the barriers to decarbonising ophthalmology: A review

Lam,

Bradbrook,

Gale

2024

Clinical Exper Ophthalmology

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As climate change demands increasingly urgent mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions, the health sector needs to do its part to decarbonise. Ophthalmologists share concerns about climate change and seek opportunities to reduce their environmental impact. When measuring the footprint of ophthalmology, major contributions are from patient travel to clinics, and from the large amounts of single‐use disposable materials that are consumed during surgeries and sterile procedures. Ophthalmic services in India have already demonstrated systems that consume far fewer of these products through efficient throughput of patients and the safe reuse of many items, while maintaining equivalent safety and quality outcomes. Choosing these low‐cost low‐emission options would seem obvious, but many ophthalmologists experience barriers that prevent them operating as Indian surgeons do. Understanding these barriers to change is a crucial step in the decarbonisation of ophthalmology and the health sector more broadly.

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Section: Rethinkmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Making Changes To Practicementioning

confidence: 99%

Tracing the barriers to decarbonising ophthalmology: A review

Lam,

Bradbrook,

Gale

2024

Clinical Exper Ophthalmology

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“…Instead, carbon offsets can be incorporated temporarily by IOL manufacturers to reduce the footprint as cataract surgery volumes increase, but using this critical time to truly assess and implement ways to directly reducing waste and emissions associated with the production of IOLs and other products. 26 Although surgeons do not typically have much control of emissions associated with IOLs, they may have more control over waste protocols in operating rooms and can help to reduce emissions there. For example, waste was not effectively sorted in the operating room from the study conducted in Malaysia, where 50% of general waste (not including sharps, face drapes, and solutions) was recyclable material but was, in fact, not recycled.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Factors contributing to the carbon footprint of cataract surgery

Taboun,

Orr,

Pereira

et al. 2023

J Cataract Refract Surg

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The healthcare sector is a significant greenhouse gas emitter. Cataract surgery is a procedure that results in a large amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. We sought to review the literature for factors contributing to the carbon footprint of this procedure. The literature, although limited, varies greatly by region. The carbon footprint of cataract surgery ranged from approximately 6 kg CO2 equivalents in a center in India to 181.9 kg CO2 equivalents in a center in the United Kingdom. Factors contributing to the carbon footprint of cataract surgery included the procurement of materials, energy use, and the emissions associated with travel. Factors facilitating a lower carbon footprint include the reuse of surgical materials and more efficient autoclave settings. Potential areas for improvement to consider include the reduction in packaging material, the reuse of materials, and potentially reducing travel emissions by performing simultaneous bilateral cataract surgery.

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“…Offsetting Carbon emissions is not the long-term solution for achieving net-zero but it is a commendable gesture whilst more sustainable practices are being implemented. Education and awareness are also indispensable factors in achieving net-zero [ 71 ]. Universities are now integrating innovation and environmentally sustainable healthcare into their curriculums [ 72 , 73 ].…”

Section: Recent Innovations and Future Opportunitiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Achieving net-zero in the dry eye disease care pathway

Latham,

Williams,

Grover

et al. 2023

Eye

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Climate change is a threat to human health and wellbeing across the world. In recent years, there has been a surge in awareness of this crisis, leading to many countries and organisations setting “net-zero” targets. This entails minimising carbon emissions and neutralising remaining emissions by removing carbon from the atmosphere. At the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27), commitments to transition away from fossil fuels and augment climate targets were underwhelming. It is therefore imperative for public and private sector organisations to demonstrate successful implementation of net-zero and set a precedent for the global political consensus. As a top 10 world employer, the United Kingdom National Health Service (NHS) has pledged to reach net-zero by 2045. The NHS has already taken positive steps forward, but its scale and complexity as a health system means stakeholders in each of its services must highlight the specifications for further progress. Dry eye disease is a chronic illness with an estimated global prevalence of 29.5% and an environmentally damaging care pathway. Moreover, environmental damage is a known aggravator of dry eye disease. Worldwide management of this illness generates copious amounts of non-recyclable waste, utilises inefficient supply chains and involves recurrent follow-up appointments and prescriptions. By mapping the dry eye disease care pathway to environmental impact, in this review we will highlight seven key areas in which reduced emissions and pollution could be targeted. Examining these approaches for improved environmental sustainability is critical in driving the transformation needed to preserve our health and wellbeing.

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How Ophthalmologists Can Decarbonize Eye Care

Cited by 14 publications

References 103 publications

Tracing the barriers to decarbonising ophthalmology: A review

Tracing the barriers to decarbonising ophthalmology: A review

Factors contributing to the carbon footprint of cataract surgery

Achieving net-zero in the dry eye disease care pathway

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