Ophthalmic Technology Assessments

Ophthalmic Technology Assessments (OTAs) have been a regular feature of Ophthalmology for more than 25 years. This month we publish what I imagine will be one of our most provocative OTAs, “Topical Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs and Cataract Surgery” (see p. 2159). Therefore, as current Chair of the OTA Committee, I thought it would be timely to review the history of OTAs and the process by which they arise. Flora Lum, MD, Vice President, Quality and Data Science, at the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), and Doris Mizuiri, Editorial/Production Coordinator with the AAO were instrumental in providing me with much of the background material.