The impact of photorefractive excimer laser keratectomy (PRK) and laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) on visual quality and life in patients with ametropias

Purpose: To evaluate the quality of life, vision and stress before and after refractive surgery. Methods: This is a longitudinal, observational study, where 100 patients were evaluated; 54 espectacles wearers, 21 contact lens users before surgery and 25 controls wearers spectacles or contact lenses, who did not want to undergo refractive surgery during one year despite refractive error. The applied questionnaires were Self Reporting Questionnaires SRQ-20 of quality of life and vision and National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire NEI VFQ-25 for the assessment of mental health. The intervention group answered the questionnaires before surgery, three, six and twelve months after follow-up and the control group answered the questionnaires at six and twelve months after the baseline. The questionnaires of the intervention group were applied by an independent person. Results: In the intervention group (54 spectacle wearers), 39 were treated by photorefractive excimer laser keratectomy (PRK) and 15 by laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK), of the 21 contact lens users: 12 received photorefractive excimer laser keratectomy and nine were treated by laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK). The control group remained stable during the study. After three months of follow-up the intervention group showed improvement in quality of life, vision and reduction of stress. After one year of follow-up the assessments of quality of life and mental health were similar to the control group. After three months there was a significant reduction of psychiatric symptomatology in the intervention group. Conclusion: Patients operated for correction of ametropia showed a significant improvement in quality of life and mental health assessments.