The Most Cited Articles and Authors in Refractive Surgery

Abstract

Purpose: To provide a comprehensive analysis of the most highly cited articles and authors in refractive surgery. Methods: The Scopus database was searched for articles pertaining to refractive surgery using multiple search terms to identify the top 100 most cited articles in refractive surgery. A publicly available database of more than 100,000 scientists that provides standardized information on multiple variables resulting in a composite indicator (C score) was searched to identify refractive surgery authors. A refractive surgery–specific composite score was created using only the authors' publications that were directly related to refractive surgery. Results: The 100 most cited articles and 40 refractive surgery authors with the highest ranked C score were identified. The article with the most citations by Trokel et al has garnered nearly 800 citations to date. All articles included in the top 100 had 200 or more citations. The peak publication years were 1998 to 2001. Laser in situ keratomileusis (22), photorefractive keratectomy (18), and postoperative corneal ectasia and/or corneal biomechanics (16) were the most represented topics. Emory University generated the most articles (7) and the majority of publications (48%) originated in the United States. Steven E. Wilson, MD, had the highest refractive C score and Jorge L. Alió, MD, PhD, had the most refractive surgery articles and citations. Among all authors listed, the average number of refractive surgery publications was 97, with 35% of the group having more than 100 refractive surgery articles published. All authors on the list had more than 2,000 citations for their refractive surgery articles, whereas 38% had 4,000 or more citations. Conclusions: This list provides a comprehensive assessment of the most cited articles and authors in refractive surgery and demonstrates key focuses and trends in the field over time. [ J Refract Surg . 2023;39(2):78–88.]