Immediate Sequential Bilateral Cataract Surgery (ISBCS) during COVID Recovery: RCOphth/UKISCRS Rapid Advice Document

July 20, 2020

This guidance has been developed by the RCOphth COVID-19 Review Team and the UK and Ireland Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons (UKISCRS) in response to the pandemic and may be subject to change.

We are facing significant capacity challenges brought about by the COVID pandemic. We need to restore surgery for the visual rehabilitation of cataract patients as well as maintain safe practice in the prevention of COVID transmission. One avenue being considered by some units for mitigating risks associated with multiple visits and to optimise and streamline services is the use of bilateral sequential cataract surgery (referred to by NICE as “bilateral simultaneous” surgery), that is the second eye surgery is performed immediately after the first eye surgery on the same list.

Read the Full RCOphth/UKISCRS rapid advice document guidance document on ISBCS here.