PATIENT SATISFACTION AFTER 5.0-MM PHOTOREFRACTIVE KERATECTOMY FOR MYOPIA

PURPOSE: To examine patient satisfaction following photorefractive ker atectomy (PRM) in a large number of subjects. METHODS: We used a quest ionnaire to examine overall patient satisfaction in 173 patients (173 first-operated eyes) at least 1 year after they had undergone PRK. Mea n preoperative spherical equivalent refraction was -7.05 +/- 3.73 D (r ange, -1.50 to -15.00 D). Fifty-one patients had unilateral surgery an d 122 had bilateral surgery, 60 of whom had follow-up of 1 year for bo th eyes. Visual and refractive results, the use of corrective lenses, and subjective side effects were also studied. RESULTS: Eighty percent of 173 patients reported they were satisfied or very satisfied with t he surgical outcome, while 19.7% reported they were dissatisfied. The average satisfaction score was 7.92 +/- 2.22 out of a possible 10. Aft er PRK, 77.5% reported improvement or great;improvement in their gener al quality of life; 16.8% were very disturbed by subjective visual sym ptoms. Of the 51 bilateral patients, 85% required no corrective lenses after surgery, Patients who;had bilateral operations were more satisf ied than those who had unilateral ones. Statistically significant asso ciations were found between patient satisfaction and initial refractio n: as preoperative refraction increased, percentage of satisfied or ve ry satisfied patients decreased. CONCLUSION: Patient satisfaction afte r PRK was generally high, but subjective visual symptoms remain a prob lem.