Vitreoretinal surgery outcomes: results of a patient satisfaction/functional status survey

This study aimed to assess patient satisfaction and change in functional status after surgery for epiretinal membrane (ERM), rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD), and complex retinal detachment (CRD). This study also aimed to determine whether objective measures of vision are predictive of subjective improvement after surgery.

The study design included patient interviews and retrospective chart review.

Participants were those patients who underwent surgery for ERM, RRD, or CRD by one surgeon at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute between January 1, 1993, and December 31, 1994.

Patient satisfaction and patients' perceptions of the impact of surgery on their functional status were assessed by telephone interviews conducted by one interviewer at least 6 months after surgery.

Responses to patient satisfaction survey and subjective change in patients' functional status were measured.

Of 187 eligible patients, 146 (78.1%) could be contacted and all agreed to participate. Ninety patients (61.6%) reported improved functioning after surgery in 2 or more of the 5 activities investigated. Twenty-one patients (14.4%) reported worse postoperative vision than expected, but only 5 patients (3.4%) thought surgery had not been worthwhile. One hundred forty-three patients (97.9%) reported adequate explanation of surgery and its expected results. Patients with preoperative study eye visual acuity between 20/40 and 20/200 were most likely to improve in two or more activities. Lower preoperative worse eye vision and better final study eye vision were associated with a greater likelihood of satisfaction after surgery. Diagnostic category was not predictive of change in functional status or patient satisfaction.

There is a high rate of patient satisfaction and improved functional status after surgery for ERM, RRD, and CRD, even among patients with good fellow eye vision.