Cataract Surgery Outcomes Improve | EUREQUO Report

Better vision, better care: insights from 363,000 cataract surgeries.

For patients undergoing cataract surgery, the outcome matters long after they leave the operating theatre. Reading, working, and enjoying everyday life all depend on how well they can see. 

The latest findings from the European Registry of Quality Outcomes for Cataract and Refractive Surgery (EUREQUO) offer encouraging news. Presented at ESCRS 2026, the report covers 363,039 cataract procedures in 2024, highlighting continued improvements in surgical outcomes. 

Outcomes of the report.

The registry reported strong visual and refractive outcomes, alongside low recorded complication rates: 

• 92.6% of eyes achieved best-corrected visual acuity of at least 0.5, a measure of vision with glasses or other correction where needed. 

• 84.95% finished within one dioptre of the intended refractive target, indicating how closely the result matched the planned prescription.
• Posterior capsule rupture was recorded in 0.39% of procedures. This is a surgical complication involving a tear in the thin membrane surrounding the lens.

Follow-up information was available for 54% of patients, so the postoperative findings reflect those with recorded follow-up rather than every procedure.

Why measuring outcomes matters

A busy clinic can track how many procedures it performs. Understanding the quality of those procedures requires a closer look.

Outcome data give teams a starting point for useful conversations. Are results consistent? Where is there room to improve? What could colleagues learn from one another?

For clinical leaders, the opportunity is to make reviewing outcomes part of everyday practice. That means giving teams time to discuss findings, ask questions and agree on practical changes.

The aim is simple: help the next patient benefit from what was learned from the last.

A growing picture of cataract care

EUREQUO has recorded nearly five million cataract surgeries since 2007, providing a substantial resource for benchmarking.

However, participation varies between countries and clinics. ESCRS has called for broader involvement to strengthen the registry, while highlighting cost as a barrier to access to advanced intraocular lenses.

These are two distinct opportunities for the sector: build a more complete picture of care and improve access to treatment options.

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