Reasons for not performing surface ablation refractive surgery in Saudi population

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Refractive Surgery
• Corneal Parameters

Background:

• Refractive surgery is a popular procedure for vision correction.
• Understanding patient selection criteria is crucial for successful outcomes.
• Saudi Arabia has a unique demographic profile relevant to ophthalmic procedures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify reasons for declining refractive surgery among Saudi Arabian patients.
• To characterize corneal parameters in the Saudi population.
• To investigate the correlation between central corneal thickness and myopia degree.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of patient data from a single eye clinic in Saudi Arabia.
• Data collected for patients seeking refractive surgery between January 2010 and December 2015.
• Analysis included reasons for surgery non-performance and corneal measurements.

Main Results:

• The primary reasons for not proceeding with refractive surgery were unstable refraction (21.78%), amblyopia with unrealistic expectations (18.75%), and high myopia (15.62%).
• The mean central corneal thickness was 538 μm (±32.6).
• No significant relationship was found between central corneal thickness and the degree of myopia in either the right or left eye.

Conclusions:

• Unstable refraction, amblyopia with unrealistic expectations, and high myopia are leading contraindications for refractive surgery in this Saudi cohort.
• Central corneal thickness does not appear to be a significant factor related to myopia severity in this population.
• These findings inform patient selection and expectations for refractive surgery in Saudi Arabia.