Association between opioid prescribing patterns and abuse in ophthalmology.

High-risk prescribing practices contribute to the widespread use of opioids. Analyzing Medicare data, this study found that most ophthalmologists wrote fewer than 10 opioid prescriptions per year, but a small group, concentrated in the Southern states, wrote more than 100 prescriptions annually. An Annual Perspective reviewed problematic prescribing practices that likely contribute to adverse events and described some promising practices to foster safer opioid use.