Patient-reported vision-related quality of life after bilateral wavefront-guided laser in situ keratomileusis

To evaluate functional vision and quality-of-life outcomes after bilateral wavefront-guided laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK).

Byers Eye Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, California, USA.

Prospective case series.

Visual acuity, refractive error, and aberrometric measurements were obtained preoperatively and 1, 6, and 12 months after bilateral wavefront-guided LASIK. The Refractive Status and Vision Profile questionnaire scores were completed at each timepoint and compared with baseline scores.

The study comprised 84 eyes of 42 patients (aged 24 to 47 years). At 1 year, 76 eyes (90.5%) had an uncorrected distance visual acuity of 20/20 or better and 88.1% of patients were satisfied with their vision without correction. Total refractive status and vision profile scores improved significantly from a mean of 30.9 points at baseline to 20.7 points 1 year postoperatively (P < .001). The visual function, perceptions, and problems with corrective lenses subscales statistically significantly improved from preoperatively to postoperatively (all P < .001). In contrast, the driving (P = .286) and visual symptoms subscales (P = .199) did not show significant changes from baseline to 1 year.

Wavefront-guided LASIK not only afforded clinically measurable improvements in vision but also significant improvements in subjective functional vision and vision-related quality of life 1 year after surgery.