Patterns of appointment cancellations and no-shows across and within ophthalmology subspecialties.

Cross-sectionalEye (London, England)· Jul 2026

Patterns of appointment cancellations and no-shows across and within ophthalmology subspecialties.

Matthaeus Ware, Marko Popovic, Peter J Kertes, Brian G Ballios

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OphthalmologyCross-sectionalClinical practiceQ1IF 3.3

Patients with only one scheduled visit have higher odds of not attending appointments.

Patterns of appointment cancellations and no-shows across and within ophthalmology subspecialties.

Matthaeus Ware … Brian G Ballios

Eye (London, England) · Jul 2026 · Q1 in Ophthalmology

Background

Preventing appointment non-adherence is critical for efficient ophthalmology clinic operations and protecting patients' vision.

Purpose

These measures aim to improve adherence, efficiency, and patient-centred care.

Methods

This cross-sectional study used multivariable logistic regression to analyse appointment records from Kensington Vision & Research Centre, Toronto, Canada, between 2013 and 2024, covering comprehensive ophthalmology and 10 subspecialties.

OR 3.73

Results

OR 3.73

patients with only one visit have much higher odds of not attending their appointment

More results

Overall, 26.5% were cancelled and 4.7% were no-shows.

Male sex is associated with 25% higher no-show likelihood but 9% lower cancellation likelihood.

Patients ≤50 years old, particularly those aged 20-30, are significantly more likely to no-show.

More results

After 4 PM, cancellations increase while no-shows decrease, and 12-1 PM carries the lowest risk for both.

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Conclusion

This large-scale study identified demographic, temporal, and clinical factors driving appointment non-adherence.

Patterns of appointment cancellations and no-shows across and within ophthalmology subspecialties.

Patterns of appointment cancellations and no-shows across and within ophthalmology subspecialties.

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