Patient satisfaction after corneal transplantation

Purpose. To determine the relationship between objective and subjective out come measures and patient satisfaction after corneal, transplantation. Meth ods. Data were collected for 184 patients who underwent a corneal transplan tation between 1 and 5 years ago. Only patients with the diagnosis of bullo us keratopathy, endothelial decompensation (or Fuchs dystrophy), nonherpeti c keratitis, and keratoconus were included. Objective treatment outcome mea sures, such as clarity of the graft and visual acuity in the grafted eye, w ere collected prospectively. Visual acuity of them other eye was collected retrospectively by chart review. Subjective outcome measures were derived f rom a retrospective survey. In addition to assessment of patient satisfacti on, the survey provided information regarding subjective outcome measures, such as visual, functioning and quality of life. Results. The response rate was 86%. Generally, patients indicated that they were satisfied with them results of the transplantation. Age was negatively related to satisfaction, with older patients being less satisfied. On average, patients with kerato conus were most satisfied. Subjective outcome measures explained 57% of the variance in patient satisfaction, whereas objective factors explained 12%. Receipt of patient education during treatment was the best predictor. Othe r important variables were quality of life and visual functioning. Conclusi on. In general, corneal transplantation had a positive effect on objective and subjective outcome measures. Patient satisfaction was better predicted by subjective outcomes than by objective outcomes. Patient education, in pa rticular, proved to be a crucial factor. Objective outcome measures appeare d to have a more indirect influence on patient satisfaction.