For patients undergoing vitreoretinal surgery, a postoperative day 0 (POD0) visit is a safe and effective alternative to the standard postoperative day 1 (POD1) visit, according to new findings presented at The Retina Society (TRS) Annual Meeting 2025.

The researchers said patients seen on the day of surgery were no more likely to experience problems with vision, intraocular pressure, or postoperative complications than those whose follow-up visit occurred the next day.

“This is the largest prospective study of its kind and suggests that a day 0 evaluation may be a viable alternative for the traditional day 1 examination,” said Christina Y. Weng, MD, MBA, the Alice R. McPherson Retina Research Foundation Chair in Ophthalmology at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.

“The postoperative day 1 evaluation is an important part of care but can occasionally pose logistical challenges,” Weng said. Those challenges include transportation to and from visits and unforeseen events that warrant scheduling changes.

Weng and colleagues conducted a prospective study of consecutive vitreoretinal surgeries performed by two surgeons. The analysis included 82 patients (90 eyes; mean age, 56.5 years) who had undergone a variety of vitreoretinal surgeries and presented for both POD0 and POD1 visits. Patients unable to attend both visits or who had missing data points were excluded from the study.

Researchers compared a variety of outcomes, including intraocular pressure and visual acuity, Weng noted.

“There was a small proportion of eyes with elevated intraocular pressure observed on day 1 but not on day 0,” Weng said. “However, none of those pressure values exceeded the normal range.”

Visual acuity was slightly higher on POD1 than on POD0, but that effect likely resulted from retrobulbar anesthesia wearing off, she said. “No differences were observed in complications, view of retina, and patient pain levels between the 2 days,” she reported.

Larger Sample Size Is Needed

James C. Major, MD, PhD, a retina specialist with Retina Consultants of Texas in Houston, agreed with the premise of the study but pointed out its limited sample size. “To really prove the point, you need a larger study,” said Major, who was not involved with the new research. “As a retina specialist, I agree that POD0 is largely safe when warranted. As the study revealed, some patients may not be able to keep a POD1 visit due to transportation issues, caregiver schedules, or dangerous weather conditions,” Major said. But barring any such obstacles, he added that he would continue to recommend standard care.

While the researchers reported that the occurrence of postoperative complications on POD1 is low following an examination on POD0, Major said healthcare providers should continue to monitor patients for complications such as infection, hypotony, or changes in lens status following surgery.

Jennifer I. Lim, MD, a professor of ophthalmology at the University of Illinois College of Medicine and director of Retina Service at UI Health in Chicago, said the earlier exam may be an option for patients whose risk for elevated intraocular pressure is low. “I would counsel patients to return immediately if they experience pain on day 1,” said Lim, who also is the current president of the Retina Society.

Major, Weng, and Lim reported no relevant financial conflicts of interest.

Martta Kelly is a medical journalist who lives in the New York metropolitan area.