Patient Satisfaction after Photorefractive Keratectomy for Low Myopia Using the Visual Analogue Scale

OBJECTIVE: To subjectively assess patient satisfaction after photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) for low myopia using the visual analogue scale. METHODS: We evaluated the satisfaction of 28 patients (53 eyes) who underwent PRK. Their baseline myopia ranged from -0.50 to -5.00 diopters (D) with a refractive cylinder ranging between plano to -2.00 D. They were all treated using the Nidek EC-5000 scanning excimer laser with an ablation zone diameter of 5.5 mm and a transition zone diameter of 7.0 mm. Mean follow-up time was 11 months. RESULTS: Mean satisfaction in this group of patients was 90.95 +/- 8.9%. We found that age, baseline astigmatism, postoperative refraction, and postoperative haze influenced the satisfaction outcome. CONCLUSION: Satisfaction assessment after PRK in patients with low myopia using the visual analogue scale is simple, subjective, reproducible, quick, and probably reliable.