Patient safety is a significant priority of the NHS. This includes maximising the things that go right and minimising the things that go wrong for patients who have, or at risk of, ophthalmic diseases. The NOD provides information on services in two major treatment areas: Cataract surgery and Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) treatment.
Cataract Audit
Cataracts are a very common eye condition. As people get older the lens inside the eye gradually changes and becomes less transparent (less clear).
The cataract audit aims to improve the care that patients undergoing cataract surgery receive. Ophthalmologists contribute the outcomes of surgery and treatments to the NOD. This information is collected and analysed to help identify any area that needs improvement and also to highlight a surgeon's performance, including complication rates and complexity of the surgery and treatments. You can search for the latest information on your service or surgeon above.
- Information collected by the Cataract audit and how it's used
- Latest Cataract audit report
- Links to more information about Cataracts
Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) Audit
AMD affects the part of the retina we use for our central vision, called the macula. There are two forms of AMD – wet and dry. The wet form is due to abnormal blood vessels growing within the macula, which leak fluid, and this can lead to rapid sight loss. Dry AMD is a slow deterioration of the cells of the macula, often over many years, as the retinal cells die off and are not renewed.
The AMD audit focuses on wet AMD and aims to improve the care that patients undergoing wet AMD treatment receive. Information is collected on how hospitals provide care to help them identify any area that needs improvement.