Laser refractive surgery on TikTok: A DISCERN-based quality assessment

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Digital Health
• Medical Education

Background:

• Social media platforms like TikTok are increasingly used for health information dissemination.
• Laser refractive surgery (LRS), including LASIK and PRK, is a popular topic with significant user engagement on TikTok.
• Evaluating the quality of this online health information is crucial for patient safety and informed decision-making.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the quality of TikTok videos discussing laser refractive surgery (LASIK and PRK).
• To compare the quality of LRS information provided by healthcare professionals (HCP) versus non-healthcare professionals (NHCP).
• To analyze user engagement metrics for LRS content on TikTok.

Main Methods:

• Searched TikTok for the top 100 results for "LASIK" and "PRK."
• Evaluated 154 selected videos using the DISCERN criteria for content quality.
• Analyzed video sources (HCP vs. NHCP) and user engagement data (likes, comments, shares, saves).

Main Results:

• Healthcare professionals created 42.9% of LRS content; non-healthcare professionals created 57.1%.
• Videos by HCPs scored higher on DISCERN criteria (34.03) than NHCPs (30.72), but both were rated as poor quality.
• LASIK videos had greater viewership and engagement than PRK videos, though PRK content performed better on additional treatment options.

Conclusions:

• The DISCERN criteria effectively evaluates LRS video quality on TikTok.
• Despite higher scores for HCPs, most LRS information on TikTok is of poor quality.
• HCPs must ensure the accuracy and quality of medical information shared on social media platforms.