Impact of COVID-19 on cataract surgical competency of ophthalmology residents

Context: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic led to a decrease in elective surgeries. Purpose: To compare the performance of postgraduate year 4 prepandemic (2018-2019) and pandemic (2021-2022) ophthalmology residents. Settings and Design: This was an observational comparative study conducted at a university-based hospital. Methods: Ophthalmology residents of postgraduate year 4 during prepandemic (2018-2019) and pandemic (2021-2022) time periods were included. The performances of residents in phacoemulsification were scored by a single faculty assessor using the International Council of Ophthalmology's Ophthalmology Surgical Competency Assessment Rubric for phacoemulsification (ICO-OSCAR: phaco). The scores were compared between the two groups.Statistical Analysis Used: The comparisons between the pre- and post-pandemic groups were performed using the Chi-square and Mann-Whitney U test. Results: Seventy-one surgeries were rated in each group. All task-specific and global scores of the pandemic group were lower than those of the prepandemic group (all P values < 0.001). The maximum intergroup difference was in capsulorrhexis circular completion (difference of 1.21 score, P < 0.001) and tissue handling (difference of 1.21 score, P < 0.001) among task-specific and global scores, respectively. The residents of the two groups had the highest similarity in irrigation and aspiration (difference of 0.61 score, P < 0.001) from task-specific scores and central eye position from global scores (difference of 0.93 score, P < 0.001). Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively affected the surgical competency of ophthalmology residents in phacoemulsification.