Functional outcome and patient satisfaction 5y after laser vision correction.

AIM: To investigate the association between functional outcomes and postoperative patient satisfaction 5y after small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) and femtosecond laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (FS-LASIK). METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study. The patients underwent basic ophthalmic examinations, axial length measurement, wide-field fundus photography, and accommodation function testing. Behavioral habits data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire, and visual symptoms were assessed with the Quality of Vision (QoV) questionnaire. Postoperative satisfaction was also recorded. RESULTS: Totally 410 subjects [820 eyes, 160 males (39.02%) and 250 females (60.98%)] who had undergone SMILE or FS-LASIK 5y ago were enrolled. The mean (standard deviation, SD) age of all patients was 29.83y (6.69). The mean (SD) preoperative manifest SE was -5.80 (2.04) diopters (D; range: -0.88 to -13.75). Patient satisfaction at 5y after undergoing SMILE or FS-LASIK was 91.70%. Patients were categorized into two groups: dissatisfied group and satisfied group. Significant differences were observed between the two groups in terms of age (P=0.012), sex (P=0.021), preoperative degree of myopia (P=0.049), postoperative visual symptoms (frequency, P=0.043; severity, P<0.001; bothersome, P=0.018), difficulty driving at night (P=0.001), and accommodative amplitude (AMP, P=0.020). Multivariate analysis confirmed that female sex (P=0.024), severity of visual symptoms (P=0.009), and difficulty driving at night (P=0.006) were significantly associated with lower satisfaction. The dissatisfied group showed higher rates of starbursts, double or multiple images, and high myopia, but lower age. The frequency, severity, and bothersome of distortion exhibited decreased with increasing age. CONCLUSION: Patient satisfaction 5y after SMILE and FS-LASIK is high and stable. Difficulty driving at night, sex, and severity of visual symptoms are important factors influencing patient satisfaction. Special attention should be paid to younger highly myopic female patients, particularly those with starbursts and double or multiple images. It is crucial to monitor postoperative visual outcomes and provide patients with comprehensive preoperative counseling to enhance long-term satisfaction.