Reported satisfaction, fluctuation of vision, and glare among patients one year after surgery in the Prospective Evaluation of Radial Keratotomy (PERK) Study
L. B. Bourque, B. B. Cosand, C. Drews, G. O. Waring 3rd, M. Lynn and C. Cartwright
We studied satisfaction with the results of radial keratotomy one year
after surgery on one eye as reported by 354 patients in the Prospective
Evaluation of Radial Keratotomy (PERK) Study. We measured satisfaction
using an index based on ten questions that were part of a longer
psychometric questionnaire. Patients were generally satisfied with the
results of radial keratotomy-48% were very satisfied, 42% were moderately
satisfied, and 10% were dissatisfied. A lot of trouble with fluctuating
vision was reported by 12% of patients before surgery and by 34% one year
after surgery; 17% reported a lot of trouble with glare both before surgery
and one year after surgery. The three major factors that influenced
satisfaction were uncorrected visual acuity, residual refractive error, and
subjective daily fluctuation in vision. A multiple regression equation that
incorporated these three variables, glare, and patient sex was able to
predict only 46% of the variance in patient satisfaction.
