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Conference News 2025 American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons Annual Meeting

Google Trend Analysis of Demand for Cataract Surgery in the United States

Researchers used Google, the ASCRS member directory, and the US Census to identify potential areas of unmet need.

Ophthalmology Management

Given that the demand for cataract surgery in the United States is expected to increase as the country's population ages, researchers Danielle Trief, MD, MSc, associate professor at Columbia University Irving Medical Center, and Justin Cheong, BSc, fourth-year medical student at the Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, decided to investigate patient demand and concentration of surgeons to identify potential areas of unmet need. They presented their study at the 2025 meeting of the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS).

The retrospective study used Google Trends data from 2023 to discover the relative search volumes (RSV) for the phrase “cataract surgery” for each state. To identify practicing cataract and refractive surgeons (n = 3,256), the investigators relied on the ASCRS member directory, then divided the number of ASCRS surgeons in a state by that state’s 2023 population (per the U.S. Census Bureau) to determine surgeon concentration per capita. The researchers then calculated a surgeon demand index (DI) for each state by dividing RSV by surgeon concentration per capita.

“Though the use of ASCRS membership and Google Trends data has limitations, the Demand Index calculation offers a framework to identify potential areas of unmet need and inform conversations around increased support for underserved regions,” said Mr. Cheong, who presented the study.

His and Dr. Trief’s analysis showed that that RSV for “cataract surgery” on Google increased 250% from the years 2004 to 2023.

Additional findings for RSVs in 2023:

  • RSVs were highest in Maine, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Florida
  • Lowest RSVs were in Oregon, Nevada, Colorado and Utah.

For surgeon densities per 100,000:

  • Highest in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Utah, and North Dakota
  • Nevada, Kentucky, Mississippi, and Alaska scored lowest.

DIs:

  • Highest in Alaska, Mississippi, Montana, and Kentucky
  • Lowest in North Dakota, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Utah.

As cataract surgery demand increases, these data may help guide targeted interventions to address gaps in eye care, Trief and Cheong concluded.

“The rise in search volume for cataract surgery also reflects a broader shift in how patients engage with health care,” Mr. Cheong said. "Understanding these patterns can help ophthalmologists tailor patient education and outreach, and address online misinformation.”

Source: Ophthalmology Management