Cataract surgery registries: history, utility, barriers, and future

Cataract surgery databases have become indispensable tools in ophthalmology, providing extensive data that enhance surgical practices and patient care. This narrative review traces the development of these databases, and summarises some of the significant contributions of these databases, such as improved surgical outcomes, informed clinical guidelines, and enhanced quality assurance. There are significant barriers to establishing and maintaining cataract surgery databases, including data protection and management challenges, economic constraints, technological hurdles, and ethical considerations. These obstacles complicate efforts to ensure data accuracy, standardisation, and interoperability across diverse healthcare settings. Large language models, and artificial intelligence has potential in streamlining data collection and analysis for the future of these databases. Innovations like blockchain for data security and cloud computing for scalability are examined as solutions to current limitations. Addressing the existing challenges and leveraging technological advancements will be crucial for the continued evolution and utility of these databases, ensuring they remain pivotal in advancing cataract surgery and patient care.