Comparing the long-term impact on health care resources utilization and costs due to various single-piece acrylic monofocal intraocular lens implantation during cataract surgery: a cost-consequence analysis for the United Kingdom, Italy, and Denmark

Abstract

Purpose The objective of this study was to estimate the cost impact of neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG) laser capsulotomy and its complications due to single-piece acrylic monofocal intraocular lenses (IOLs) in the healthcare setting of United Kingdom, Italy, and Denmark. Materials and methods A hypothetical cost-consequence model was developed to estimate economic burden of Nd:YAG laser capsulotomy due to different single-piece acrylic monofocal IOLs. Cumulative incidence of Nd:YAG laser capsulotomy at 3 years after cataract surgery with five single-piece monofocal acrylic IOLs was sourced from retrospective data analysis of electronic medical records of cataract patients in the United Kingdom. Risk probability of post-Nd:YAG laser complications, ie, retinal detachment, glaucoma, and cystoid macular edema at 3 years was derived using published literature. Unit costs were taken from publicly available sources with all costs converted to euro (€). Number of cataract procedures per year for each country was sourced from Eurostat statistics. Results For the estimated cataract procedures carried out nationally every year, single-piece monofocal hydrophobic AcrySof IOL was associated with substantially lower cases of Nd:YAG laser capsulotomy procedures and subsequent complications in 3 years after cataract surgery when compared to other single-piece monofocal acrylic IOLs. The total cost savings with the use of AcrySof over other IOLs in countries assessed ranged from €0.5 to €4.7 million (vs AMO Tecnis) and €2.1 to €17.9 million (vs Rayner C-/Super-flex). Conclusion Incidence of Nd:YAG capsulotomy due to the choice of IOL could significantly affect healthcare budgets in the post-cataract surgery period. Our analysis indicates that single-piece monofocal AcrySof IOLs is the most cost-saving treatment option for health care systems when compared to other acrylic single-piece IOLs.