Long-term follow-up after laser vision correction in physicians: quality of life and patient satisfaction

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate the satisfaction and quality of life after laser vision correction (LVC) exclusively in a physician population.

Setting: Cole Eye Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.

Design: Cohort study.

Methods: A 12-question survey targeted toward physicians and the unique qualities of their experience with refractive surgery was sent to physicians who had refractive surgery at the Cole Eye Institute between 2000 and 2012. In conjunction, the visual outcomes and clinical information of physicians who received the survey were reviewed.

Results: Two hundred twenty-six physicians (439 eyes) met the inclusion criteria for our study. One hundred thirty-two physicians (58%) responded to the survey and reported an overall satisfaction rate of 95.3%. Respondents included surgeons (28.0%), physicians who perform procedures but not surgery (43.2%), and physicians who do not perform procedures or surgery (28.8%). Of the physicians, 84.8% reported an improvement in the quality of vision compared with the corrected preoperative vision, 39.0% reported that their ability to perform procedures accurately had improved and 1.6% said they believed their ability to perform procedures was less. Ninety-six percent reported they would have the procedure again. Visual outcomes showed high levels of surgical predictability, efficacy, and safety.

Conclusion: Despite high visual demands, physicians having LVC had a high percentage of good visual outcomes, satisfaction, and quality-of-life improvements.