This Article  • Full text  • PDF  • Reply to article  • Send to a friend  • Save in My Folder  • Save to citation manager  • Permissions  Citing Articles  • Citing articles on HighWire  • Citing articles on ISI (3)  • Contact me when this article is cited  Related Content  • Related letters  • Related article  • Similar articles in this journal  Topic Collections  • Corneal Disorders  • Laser Surgery  • Refractive Surgery  • Alert me on articles by topic

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text and any section headings.

A recent study by Hammond et al¹ on outcomes of refractive surgery was large enough and sufficiently objective to begin comparing the risk of vision loss from surgery vs contact lenses. Previously, the public and ophthalmologists have assumed that refractive surgery, while attractive, constitutes the higher risk. This may not be correct.

This comparison has been slow in coming in part because the risks of refractive surgery vs contact lenses cannot be compared directly. Complications from contact lenses accumulate over years whereas those from surgery occur over a brief time. If one assumes that the risk from contact lenses accumulates steadily and that at least 5% of bacterial keratitis cases will result in vision loss to a visual acuity of 20/50 or worse, then the total risk may be estimated from the yearly rate. Surprisingly, the risk of bacterial keratitis from contact lenses has changed little over the years. If . . . [Full Text of this Article]

AUTHOR INFORMATION
William D. Mathers, MD; Frederick W. Fraunfelder, MD; Larry F. Rich, MD

RELATED LETTERS

Comparing Contact Lens and Refractive Surgery Risks
Oliver D. Schein and Joanne Katz
Arch Ophthalmol. 2007;125(6):853-854.
EXTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Accurate Calculation of Longer-term Incidences From Short-term Incidence Values
Nathaniel E. Knox Cartwright
Arch Ophthalmol. 2008;126(4):579-580.
EXTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Accurate Calculation of Longer-term Incidences From Short-term Incidence Values—Reply
Hall T. McGee and William D. Mathers
Arch Ophthalmol. 2008;126(4):580.
EXTRACT | FULL TEXT  

RELATED ARTICLE

Accurate Calculation of Longer-term Incidences From Short-term Incidence Values—Reply
Oliver D. Schein and Joanne Katz
Arch Ophthalmol. 2008;126(4):580.
EXTRACT | FULL TEXT  

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES

Accurate Calculation of Longer-term Incidences From Short-term Incidence Values
Knox Cartwright
Arch Ophthalmol 2008;126:579-580.
FULL TEXT  

Accurate Calculation of Longer-term Incidences From Short-term Incidence Values--Reply
McGee and Mathers
Arch Ophthalmol 2008;126:580-580.
FULL TEXT  

Comparing Contact Lens and Refractive Surgery Risks
Schein and Katz
Arch Ophthalmol 2007;125:853-854.
FULL TEXT