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This abstract is assigned to session AOB Free Papers 2

Presentation type	Oral presentation
Title	Costs Associated with Belgian In Home Eyedrop Nursing Care – Financial Implications for a Switch to Dropless Cataract Surgery

Purpose	To determine the financials implications for a switch to dropless cataract surgery in Belgium. Cataract surgery is among the most frequently performed procedures globally, with over 176,000 surgeries conducted in Belgium in 2024. Postoperative care traditionally involves daily administration of antibiotic, steroid, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory eye drops for four weeks, often requiring home nursing support due to poor patient compliance and technique. This conventional approach incurs significant costs for the Belgian healthcare system.
Methods	Calculation of costs was performed for both the heathcare system as the patient out-of-pocket level using the websites www.riziv.fgov.be/nl/webtoepassingen/nomensoft and www.bcfi.be. Enquiry with Riziv/Inami provided Belgian postoperative in home eyedrop nursing care costs and total number of cataract surgeries in 2024.
Results	A nationwide transition to dropless surgery would have reduced Belgium’s 2024 healthcare expenditure from €4,016,573 to €1,816,020. For patients, out-of-pocket costs would drop from €176.93 to €1.62 per eye. Additional benefits include reduced hospital staff workload, decreased ocular surface toxicity, and lower environmental waste from discarded eye drop bottles.
Conclusion	Provided clinical outcomes remain equivalent, adopting dropless cataract surgery in Belgium presents a compelling opportunity to enhance cost-efficiency, patient convenience, and sustainability
Conflict of interest	No

Authors 1

Initials	K
Last name	Termote
Department	University Hospital Brussels
City	Brussels

Authors 2

Initials	H
Last name	Delbeke
Department	University Hospitals Leuven
City	Leuven

Authors 3

Initials	S
Last name	Ni Dhubhghaill
Department	University Hospital Brussels
City	Brussels