Publication Rates of Oculoplastic Surgery and Orbit Abstracts Presented at Turkish Ophthalmological Association National Congresses: 10-Year Analysis.

Objectives: This study aimed to examine the publication rates of abstracts related to oculoplastic surgery and orbital diseases presented at the Turkish Ophthalmological Association National Congresses (TOA-NCs) in 2013-2022.

Materials and methods: The study included abstracts in the field of oculoplastic surgery and orbital diseases accepted for presentation at TOA-NCs between 2013 and 2022. These abstracts were reviewed in terms of presentation type (oral, poster), number of authors, study setting (university, training and research, private, public, or abroad hospital), study type (case, clinical, or basic science), study topic (eyelid, lacrimal system, orbit, or thyroid eye disease), journal publication status, time to publication (months), publishing journal (national, international), and journal impact factor.

Results: A total of 802 presentations (233 [29.1%] oral, 569 [70.9%] poster) were included in the study. Of these, 122 abstracts (15.2%) were published (56 [45.9%] oral, 66 [54.1%] poster presentations). The publication rate for oral presentations was higher than for poster presentations (24.0% vs. 11.6%, p<0.05). The median publication time and journal impact factor were 18 months (range, 1-88) and 1.3 (range, 0.1-5.17), respectively. Case abstracts had a publication rate of 6.3%, while clinical studies had a higher rate of 21.8% (p<0.05). Publication time was negatively correlated with journal impact factor (r=-0.211, p=0.039).

Conclusion: The 10-year publication rate (15.2%) of abstracts presented in the field of oculoplastic surgery and orbit at TOA-NCs was found to be lower than that of other international ophthalmology meetings. It is noteworthy that the publication rate of oral abstracts and clinical studies was significantly higher. To enhance the scientific publication potential in Türkiye, which has many active ophthalmologists and ophthalmology clinics, it would be beneficial to identify and address negative factors, support clinicians, and strengthen their connections with the basic medical sciences.