Reducing the Carbon Footprint of Refractive Surgery Through Same-Day Postoperative Care

ABSTRACT: Immediate postoperative care presents an option for refining the patient care process. The purpose of this audit was to identify potential reductions in carbon emissions following the decision to move from day 1 to same-day postoperative visits in a busy refractive surgery centre. This represented an analysis of refractive surgery patients across 12-months at a single clinic (n = 603). Total carbon emission saving was calculated by patient address (Google Maps) and based on average mileage/emissions. Total distance saved was 15,396km which estimated a saving of 4.40 tonnes of CO2 emission. Two eyes underwent a re-float procedure on same day representing safety measure. Moving to a same day postoperative visit saves time and decreases secondary financial costs for patients and carers. In the presence of a confirmed safety profile, this presented additional environmental benefits by reducing carbon emissions representing an example for other clinics and potentially, other post-surgical review protocols.