Consent for Resident Participation in Pediatric Strabismus Surgery.

Cohort studyJournal of AAPOS : the official publication of the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus· Jul 2026

Consent for Resident Participation in Pediatric Strabismus Surgery.

Derek M Waldner, Emi Sanders, Chris J Rudnisky, Stephanie A Dotchin

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Pediatric OphthalmologyCohort studyClinical practiceQ2IF 1.0

89 of 100 parents consented to resident involvement in their child's eye-alignment surgery.

Consent for Resident Participation in Pediatric Strabismus Surgery.

Derek M Waldner … Stephanie A Dotchin

Journal of AAPOS · Jul 2026 · Q2 in Ophthalmology

Purpose

To investigate the proportion of parental consent for resident participation in their child's strabismus surgery when provided with complete informed consent.

Methods

We conducted a prospective observational study evaluating English-speaking parents of pediatric patients undergoing first-time strabismus surgery by a single surgeon at a tertiary academic center.

n = 100 parents

Results

89

of 100

most parents agreed to let a doctor-in-training help, once fully informed

n = 100 parents

More results

Themes associated with consent included trust in the primary surgeon, support for education, and personal experience with hands-on learning.

Reasons for declining included preference for the experienced surgeon and concerns about surgical intricacy.

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Conclusion

Full disclosure of resident participation in pediatric strabismus surgery does not significantly reduce parental consent. Transparent communication may enhance trust while preserving critical training opportunities for residents.

Consent for Resident Participation in Pediatric Strabismus Surgery.

Consent for Resident Participation in Pediatric Strabismus Surgery.

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