Perspectives on the Use of Surgical Loupes Among Ophthalmologists in Turkey: A National Survey Study
Author: Mahmut Erkam Arslan
Base Hospital / Institution: Kayseri City Training and Research Hospital
ePoster presentation
Abstract ID: 24-478
Purpose
To investigate the use of surgical loupes in the clinical practice of Turkish ophthalmologists and to understand their perspectives on the use of surgical loupes.
Methods
A link to a standardized questionnaire with 20 questions was sent to the members of the Turkish Ophthalmology Association via email, WhatsApp, and Instagram. Google Forms was used to collect the survey responses.
Results
A total of 106 ophthalmologists responded to the survey. 44.5% of participants felt loupes improves surgery and 45% were undecided. 54.8% found loupes useful for surgical training in residency, while only 7.5% disagreed. However, only 14% of participants purchased a loupe. The loupe was commonly used in the following procedures: dacryocystorhinostomy (60%), other nasolacrimal duct and punctum surgeries (66%), ptosis repair (60%), trichiasis (60%), ectropion and entropion surgeries (53.3%), blepharoplasty (53.3%). The most cited benefits were as follows: the magnification of the image (74%), the improved recognition of anatomical structures (66%), enhanced visual acuity (30.2%), and improved posture and ergonomics (22.6%). The most common reasons for not purchasing a loupe were lack of need in clinical practice (68%) and high cost-performance ratio (20.9%). While 39 (36.8%) of respondents did not experience any negative situations when using a loupe, the most common issues cited were discomfort (20.8%), difficulty with adjustments (17.9%), and limited depth perception (12.3%). No relationship was found between these issues and age, or the number of years worked as a specialist.
Conclusion
The loupe, proven effective and useful in many surgeries, is one of the auxiliary instruments known to be helpful in ocular surgeries, especially in oculoplastic surgery. Although most used in oculoplastic surgery by ophthalmologists in Turkey, it is not very common. This study is the first to explore the perspectives on the use of surgical loupes among ophthalmologists in Turkey and to examine the advantages, limitations, and obstacles to their use, as well as the factors affecting these obstacles.
Additional Authors
| First name | Last name | Base Hospital / Institution |
|---|---|---|
| Bekir | Ayyıldız | Kayseri City Training and Research Hospital |
| Deniz | Kılıç | Dünyagöz Hospitals Group, Department of Ophthalmology, İzmir, Turkey |
| Kayseri City Training and Research Hospital |
