Utilizing off-the-shelf LCA methods to develop a ‘triple bottom line’ auditing tool for global cataract surgical services

The cataract surgery audit tool ‘Eyefficiency’ was designed to identify opportunities for sites to minimize the footprint of cataract surgical services and to increase access to cataract surgery for patients worldwide.

The publication Utilizing off-the-shelf LCA methods to develop a ‘triple bottom line’ auditing tool for global cataract surgical services describes the life cycle assessment (LCA) approaches the Eyefficiency team tested, when developing the easy-to-use, open source Eyefficiency tool that is also straightforward to maintain and update.

The development team chose to use a hybrid LCA approach with UK-based process and environmental extended input–output inventories. The carbon results of the Eyefficiency tool are compared to previous studies at two of Eyefficiency's pilot test sites. Though Eyefficiency's carbon calculator may only provide order of magnitude accuracy, it offers cataract surgical providers everywhere in the world an opportunity to benchmark their costs, throughput, waste generation, and carbon emissions. Eyefficiency enables ground level ownership in sustainable pathways for the most common medical procedure worldwide.

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