Presentation (CTI)

OBJECTIVES: Understanding workforce trends and procedural dynamics plays a role in informing decision-making and policy development in ophthalmology. The aim of this study is to review and summarize existing literature concerning trends and future projections in ophthalmology, particularly focusing on workforce dynamics and procedural trends.
METHODS: A targeted literature review was conducted using PubMed to identify relevant English-language studies spanning the last 10 years, from January 1, 2014, to February 14, 2024. The search strategy was organized around four main categories, covering topics in ophthalmology, workforce dynamics, procedural demands, and future projections. Key search terms encompassed ophthalmology, demand, capacity, volume, supply, workforce, personnel, projection, trend, and forecast. No constraints were imposed regarding study design.
RESULTS: 17 out of 186 studies were included based on full text review, covering various regions, including the United States, England, Canada, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Africa, Singapore and a global study. Among them, 12 focused on ophthalmology in general, 2 cataract-only, 1 neuro-ophthalmology, 1 pediatric ophthalmology and 1 glaucoma study. 8 studies examined the current workforce capacity, and 9 studies forecasted future demand highlighting an anticipated increase in procedural demands and projected a shortage of surgeons to meet this growing demand, with projections extending up to 2068 for certain regions.
CONCLUSIONS: There is a projected gap in the demand for eye care services and the workforce supply. This gap presents challenges in addressing future shortages and may potentially impact patient care. However, the extent of this anticipated gap varied across studies, highlighting the need for further research to understand the disparity in approaches.