Purpose: To evaluate the performance of a questionnaire, the Refractive Sta
tus and Vision Profile (RSVP), in the assessment of patient outcomes follow
ing refractive surgery.
Setting: Patients recruited from 5 refractive surgery practices.
Methods: The RSVP was self-administered by patients before and 2 to 6 month
s after bilateral refractive surgery. Information on uncorrected visual acu
ity (UCVA), refractive error, and self-reported satisfaction with vision wa
s also collected. Changes in total RSVP scores and in the scores of RSVP su
bscales (concern, functioning, driving, symptoms, optical problems, glare,
and trouble with corrective lenses) were assessed. The relationship between
change in the RSVP and subscale scores was assessed in relation to change
in traditional clinical measures. The responsiveness of the RSVP to clinica
lly meaningful changes in patients' vision was measured by calculating its
effect size.
Results: One hundred seventy-six patients completed baseline and postoperat
ive RSVPs and had bilateral refractive surgery. Postoperatively, 92.0% of p
atients had a UCVA of 20/40 or better in at least 1 eye. fifteen percent ha
d some worsening in the total RSVP score, and there was substantial variati
on in the proportion of patients who had worsening in particular subscale s
cores, ranging from 7.0% who reported worsening in trouble with corrective
lenses to 41.5% who reported worsening in driving. Change in satisfaction w
ith vision following surgery was correlated with change in the overall RSVP
and subscale scores but not with change in refractive error. A significant
worsening in 3 or more RSVP subscales was independently associated with an
almost 6-fold (odds ratio 5.84, 95% confidence interval: 1.88,18.13) likel
ihood of patient report of dissatisfaction with vision, after adjusting for
age, sex, preoperative refractive error, and post-operative UCVA. Low scor
es (ie, minimal dysfunction) on 2 of the RSVP subscales (physical functioni
ng and optical problems) at baseline were predictive of poor postoperative
patient outcomes. The RSVP was very sensitive to the intervention of refrac
tive surgery (effect size of 1.2 to 1.4).
Conclusions: The RSVP was able to detect clinically relevant changes in fun
ctional status and quality of life after refractive surgery. Change ill the
RSVP score was correlated with change in patient report of satisfaction an
d was predictive of postoperative patient satisfaction. The RSVP provides a
valuable new metric to assess outcomes of refractive surgery.