The IRIS Registry is the nation's first comprehensive eye disease clinical registry and the largest single specialty clinical data registry in the world. The Academy developed it as part of the profession's shared goal of continual improvement in the delivery of eye care.
As part of the Diagnostic Excellence program, data from the registry were used to evaluate diagnosis practice patterns and pinpoint any areas of enhancement.
One prominent example is the diagnosis of retinal pathology in patients who present with an acute posterior vitreous detachment (PVD). Researchers identified 10,518 eyes that had a delayed retinal detachment or retinal break after the initial PVD. Because the median time to a retinal break or detachment was 42 days after the initial PVD, clinicians should consider repeat examination at least once within 6 weeks after initial presentation for patients with no initial retinal pathology, and sooner if patients have higher risk factors.