LASIK Up-to-date Newsletter

Patient Satisfaction after LASIK

Two actual studies have questioned 1,000 patients regarding their satisfaction and possible visual problems after a LASIK operation.
The first study, performed in South Africa*, conducted telephone interviews with 200 patients. The focal point of the questionnaire was concentrated on postoperative satisfaction, the necessity to wear glasses after surgery, and possible postoperative problems. 95% of the people polled, stated that they could see distance without wearing any glasses after LASIK. 24% of the patients needed to wear glasses for reading, this was due to aging and the onset of presbyopia. 195 of the 200 patients (97.5%) were very happy with the result of the operation, 98.5% would again undergo LASIK surgery.

A second US-American study** evaluated questionnaires from 841 patients, who had undergone LASIK surgery more than 6 months ago.
The average age of these patients was 43 +/- 10.6 years. 97% of the people questioned stated that they would recommend LASIK surgery to a friend. The patients that would not recommend the procedure complained in a large part about vision problems at dawn/dusk (halos and glare). The study determined that before LASIK, these patients exhibited a flat cornea, or they had done a Re-LASIK. Some older patients also mentioned, they would not recommend LASIK, since reading glasses were needed after the procedure.
The authors concluded, that factors such as age, a preoperative flat cornea and Re-LASIK (postoperative surgery) can negatively influence patient satisfaction and in part also the dawn/dusk vison after LASIK.

Sources:
* J Refract Surg. 2002 Jul-Aug; (4):454-9.
** Ophthalmology. 2003 Jul; 110(7):1371-8.

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