Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40032557›Full record

ArticleBMJ open ophthalmology2025

Cornea specialists are the highest opioid prescribers at a large academic eye institute in the USA.

Nikolay Boychev, Lisa Y Lin, Laurel T Tainsh, Sue A Aicher, Anat Galor, Joseph B Ciolino

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ open ophthalmology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Nikolay BoychevMassachusetts Eye and Ear Department of Ophthalmology, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-2674-0835
Lisa Y LinMassachusetts Eye and Ear Department of Ophthalmology, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-1215-4571
Laurel T TainshMassachusetts Eye and Ear Department of Ophthalmology, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-4269-4413
Sue A AicherChemical Physiology & Biochemistry, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-5310-4055
Anat GalorBascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-3026-6155
Joseph B CiolinoMassachusetts Eye and Ear Department of Ophthalmology, Boston, Massachusetts, USA joseph_ciolino@meei.harvard.edu.ORCID 0000-0002-6223-3091

Funding

Anesthetic-Eluting Contact Lens for Corneal PainUG3NS131518 · NINDS · SCHEPENS EYE RESEARCH INSTITUTE · PI CIOLINO, JOSEPH B. · 2023 to 2023
$1.1M
NINDS NIH HHS UG3 NS131518
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

BACKGROUND/

aimTo evaluate the opioid prescription patterns across ophthalmic subspecialties at a large academic eye centre.

methodsA single site, retrospective cross-sectional study. Electronic medical records from the year 2018 were screened. Ophthalmology patients ≥18 years of age were included. The main outcome measures were patient demographics, outpatient opioid prescriptions, ophthalmic procedure and prescriber details, including department and training level.

results1654 opioid prescriptions were written, accounting for 2.2% of all ophthalmic procedures in a calendar year. Of the patients who received prescriptions, 51.4% were female (n=851) with a mean age of 52.3±18.5 (range 18-95 years). In general, the morphine equivalent dose was low, with an average of 12.4±6.75 pills dispensed (range 1-60) with 0.0±0.01 refills (range 0-3). Cornea specialists were the highest opioid prescribers (22.7% of all providers who wrote a prescription), followed by oculoplastics (22.2%) and retina (18.4%). The most common procedure for which an opioid was prescribed was cornea crosslinking (14.3% of all opioid prescriptions).

conclusionsWhile opioid prescriptions are generally low for ophthalmic procedures across departments, cornea specialists accounted for nearly a third of opioid prescriptions. Over half of corneal crosslinking patients received opioid prescriptions; there remains an unmet need for opioid-sparing therapy for these patients and others with severe eye pain.

Indexed as

Analgesics, OpioidDrug PrescriptionsEye PainOphthalmologyPractice Patterns, Physicians'SpecializationAcademic Medical CentersAdolescentAdultAgedAged, 80 and overCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedAnalgesics, OpioidCorneaDrugsMedical EducationPublic health

Identifiers

PMID40032557
PMCPMC11877224

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.