I just returned from the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons Annual Meeting. It is a wonderful opportunity to meet with colleagues and leaders in my profession. This month I will be sharing exciting data presented by the US Navy which showed that modern LASIK is extremely safe with excellent visual results.
Patient Satisfaction Following LASIK – Update on the PROWL 1 & 2 Studies
LASIK is one of the most common elective surgeries in the USA with approximately 700,000 procedures performed annually. It is designed to correct nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. A rigorous 2 hour screening examination is performed in our office to determine whether a patient is a good candidate for the procedure. Despite it's overall safety, many patients still fear the side effects of LASIK.
The PROWL studies used anonymous online patient questionnaires to collect data on patients' visual and dry eye symptoms as well as their satisfaction with their LASIK results. PROWL 1 studied active duty sailors, and PROWL 2 a civilian population.
Both studies found patients reported improvement in both dry eyes and night vision symptoms such as halos compared to before their LASIK. PROWL 1 vision data showed 99% of patients were 20/20 or better at 6 months following surgery. The majority of patients (>96%) were extremely satisfied with their vision after LASIK.
In summary, the PROWL studies demonstrated that the vast majority of patients have excellent vision and satisfaction with their procedure following LASIK. Many of the symptoms patients are concerned about, including dry eyes and glare and haloing at night, are in fact improved compared to before LASIK in the majority of patients at 3-6 months following their procedure.
Source: Presentation of Dr. Elizabeth Hofmeister, US Naval Medical Center, ASCRS Annual Symposium and Congress, New Orleans LA May 2016
Michelle Akler, MD
Akler Eye Center
Sterling Heights & Dearborn
Akler Eye Center is one of the top laser eye & LASIK surgery centers in Detroit, Michigan.
