Report on Psychosocial Findings and Satisfaction Among Patients 1 Year After Excimer Laser Photorefractive Keratectomy

Authors:
  • TSTheo Seiler
    Theo Seiler
  • JWJosef Wollensak
    Josef Wollensak
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Abstract
BACKGROUND: The first 26 patients who underwent photorefractive keratectomy with an excimer laser in our clinic with a 1-year follow up voluntarily answered a questionnaire. METHODS: It was intended to get information about their social status, motivation, expectations, and satisfaction with myopic excimer laser photorefractive keratectomy. RESULTS: All patients wore corrective lenses before surgery; 74% wore no optical correction after the photorefractive keratectomy. "To improve general vision" was the highest ranked motivation while "looking better" was only of minor importance. Seventy-two percent reported that their subjective vision became better; 28% felt that it didn't change, but none reported deterioration of subjective vision. Seventy-five percent of the patients reported improvement of their lifestyle after surgery, whereas 21% reported no change and one patient stated that his lifestyle got worse. On a scale ranging from 1 to 5, early postoperative course was painful with a mean score of 2.25; the treatment itself was considered as professional (1.42 ± 0.8) and well done (1.54 ± 0.8). Eighty-four percent of the patients reported that they were satisfied with the overall results. CONCLUSIONS: All patients would decide again to have photorefractive keratectomy for myopic correction. [Refract Corneal Surg 1992;8:286-289.)