An optometrist's personal perspective of aspects of refractive surgery

The latter part of the last century has seen significant evolution in the area of refractive surgery, such that is has become a viable alternative to contact lenses, or spectacles, for an increasing number of patients. The developments of the principal techniques, in this ever-expanding field, are reviewed, and the increasing rôle of the optometrist in the pre-, intra- and post-operative management of the refractive surgery patient is described, based upon the author's personal experience within a non-profit, refractive surgery setting. In addition to highlighting pertinent features of the objective evaluation of patients, the importance of subjective assessment, pre- and postoperatively, is discussed, in terms of maximising post-surgery patient satisfaction. The scope for future research in this dynamic area is also considered.