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Patient expectations and recollection of information about photorefractive keratectomy
1Department of Ophthalmology, Medical University of Lübeck, Germany.
Purpose:
To assess the expectations of surgical result and recollection of a standardized information briefing by patients having photorefractive keratectomy (PRK).
Setting:
Department of Ophthalmology, Medical University of Lübeck, Germany.
Methods:
Thirty-two patients were asked to complete a multiple-choice questionnaire immediately after standardized information briefings and 1 month after PRK to establish their comprehension of the information briefing, what they remembered of it, and what they expected from the refractive procedure.
Results:
Although the estimated intelligence quotient of the patients was above average (115 +/- 7.23) and almost all rated the information briefings as being comprehensible, only simple, basic facts about PRK were remembered immediately after the briefing as well as 1 month postoperatively. Of 12 possible undesired consequences, 6.4 were remembered before surgery and 3.9 after surgery. The latter were mainly side effects the patients experienced themselves.
Conclusion:
As most patients rejected the possibility of serious complications, for medicolegal reasons, careful, accurate documentation of the contents of and patients' satisfaction with the information briefing is necessary.