The European Registry of Quality Outcomes for Cataract and Refractive Surgery: Benefits and Lessons of a Multinational Registry

Cataract surgery is the most commonly performed surgery worldwide. However, there is significant variation in practice both within and among countries. The European Registry of Quality Outcomes for Cataract and Refractive Surgery was established in 2007 to address this variation and improve the quality of care. Based on registry data from more than 500,000 surgeries, the registry developed the first European guidelines for cataract surgery, with plans to improve those guidelines continuously with registry-based studies. At this point, the registry has collected data from more than 4 million surgeries, creating opportunities for establishing guidelines, conducting research, and benchmarking. This article describes how the registry was developed, its achievements, planned refinements, efforts to expand participation, the challenges encountered, and future potential.