Myopic patients report quality of life similar to emmetropes after refractive surgery

Date of publication - 10/25/2007

Originally Published Article in Ocular Surgery News: SuperSite

Using either spectacles or contact lenses to correct myopia can negatively affect some areas of patients' vision-related quality of life, researchers in Australia said. However, patients who received refractive surgery reported quality of life similar to emmetropic individuals, they noted.

Christine Y. Chen, MBBS, and colleagues used the Vision Quality of Life Index to compare vision-related quality of life between 64 emmetropic individuals, 65 myopic patients who received refractive surgery and 66 myopic patients who wore spectacles or contact lenses.

Emmetropic subjects had a spherical equivalent between 0.5 D and –0.5 D; myopic patients treated with spectacles or contact lenses had a spherical equivalent less than –0.5 D, according to the study.

All study participants were 18 years or older, had a visual acuity of at least 20/40 and had no other ocular pathology, the authors noted.

The researchers found no significant differences in the vision-related quality of life between myopic patients who received refractive surgery and those with emmetropia.

"In contrast, the spectacle and/or contact lens group had significantly increased odds of having concerns about injuring themselves (odds ratio=11.5), difficulties coping with demands in life (odds ratio=23.6), difficulties fulfilling roles (odds ratio=5.6) and less confidence joining in everyday activities (odds ratio=30.6) compared to emmetropes," they said.

"The potential improvement in vision-related quality of life should be considered when recommending treatment for myopia," they added.

The study is published in the October issue of Journal of Refractive Surgery.