Satisfaction Level of Physicians Who Have Undergone Corneal Refractive Surgery

PURPOSE: To evaluate the levels of satisfaction among physicians who have undergone corneal refractive surgery. METHODS: This study included 212 eyes of 107 consecutive patients who underwent laser in situ keratomileusis or laser sub-epithelial keratomileusis surgery. Patients were divided into two groups: one group of physicians and one group of other healthcare workers (HCWs). The physicians' group was also subdivided into two different groups: surgeons or doctors using microscopes and medical physicians. The main outcome measures were scale scores obtained by using the Visual Function Index-14 questionnaires; uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA), residual spherical equivalent (SE), optical zone diameter, and residual corneal thickness were also compared between the groups. RESULTS: No significant differences in preoperative parameters, with the exception of the ratio of types of refractive surgery, were noted between the physicians and the HCWs group. Additionally, no differences between the groups were noted in the postoperative UDVA, residual SE, optical zone diameter, residual corneal thickness, and level of satisfaction. When comparing the two subgroups of physicians, the differences in satisfaction rates were not statistically significant, even in terms of the performance of delicate manual work. CONCLUSIONS: No statistically significant differences in the clinical outcomes and satisfaction scores were detected after surgery between the physicians and HCWs groups, nor were any significant differences detected between the surgeons and medical physicians groups. Corneal refractive surgery can conceivably be recommended even for physicians who perform intensive near vision-dependent activities and delicate operations.