Quality of Life After Laser Vision Correction: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Vision Science
• Quality of Life Research

Background:

• Quality of life (QOL) is a crucial outcome measure in refractive surgery.
• Laser vision correction (LVC) aims to improve visual acuity and reduce dependence on corrective lenses.
• Understanding the long-term QOL impact of LVC is essential for patient counseling and surgical decision-making.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and analyze the impact of LVC on patient-reported quality of life.
• To synthesize evidence from global literature on QOL changes following LVC.
• To compare postoperative QOL with preoperative QOL and with that of emmetropic individuals.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature review of prospective or cross-sectional studies.
• Searched major databases (Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, ProQuest) up to February 2024.
• Utilized fixed- or random-effects models for meta-analysis and meta-regression to assess QOL changes and confounders.

Main Results:

• Eleven studies involving 1753 patients were included.
• LVC demonstrated significant QOL improvements at 1, 3, and 6 months post-surgery (SMD 0.38, 1.03, and 0.71, respectively).
• QOL improvement was less pronounced in older patients; no significant difference in QOL was found between post-LVC patients and emmetropes.

Conclusions:

• LVC leads to substantial improvements in patient quality of life.
• Younger patients experience greater QOL benefits from LVC.
• The QOL achieved after LVC is comparable to that of individuals with normal vision (emmetropia).