Commentary|Articles|September 16, 2026

Four years, 500 cases: The case for office-based retina surgery

After four years and 500+ office-based procedures, Johnathan Feistmann, MD, shares how the model shortened time to surgery for fovea-threatening cases while reshaping patient experience and practice workflow.

For decades, vitreoretinal surgery has been closely tied to hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), where access to operating rooms, anesthesia services, and specialized equipment dictated when—and often how quickly—patients could receive care. Today, however, limited retinal OR access—especially for urgent and after-hours cases—along with advances in surgical technology and anesthesia techniques are prompting some of us to rethink that longstanding mode.