Survey: Majority of contact lens wearers satisfied with vision

Issue: December 25, 2012

CHICAGO — Preliminary results of a patient survey show self-reported satisfaction from LASIK and contact lenses, a speaker said here.

Perspective from Karl G. Stonecipher, MD

“This study sets up an appropriate benchmark for LASIK,” Francis W. Price Jr., MD, said at the joint meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology and Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology. “This is important because it identifies areas that we need to improve in our contact lenses and solutions. If we don’t ask these questions, we won’t know what we have to fix.”

Francis W. Price Jr.

The prospective, multicenter, Internet-based study included almost 1,700 patients who self-reported outcomes from LASIK and contact lenses. LASIK patients were surveyed 1, 2 and 3 years after surgery. Contact lens patients were surveyed at baseline and 1, 2 and 3 years later. All patients were between the ages of 18 years and 60 years and required some type of vision correction.

The study included almost 1,000 LASIK patients and almost 700 contact lens patients. About 1,300 patients wore contact lenses at baseline; this included prospective LASIK patients.

Study results showed that 93% of the entire group said they would recommend contact lenses to a family member.

“This included contact lens wearers who went on to have LASIK, so the majority of people that wear contacts and had LASIK were happy or satisfied with their contact lenses to the point that they would recommend them to a family member,” Price said.

However, 13% of contact lens wearers had difficulty with night driving, 55% reported intermittent dry eye symptoms, and 6% reported very frequent or constant dry eye.

Investigators expect to have 2,000 patients enrolled in early 2013, Price said.

Disclosure: Price has no relevant financial disclosures.

Perspective

Karl G. Stonecipher, MD

The paper presented by Frank Price was a large, prospective, Internet-based survey involving multiple practices that attempted to answer many unresolved questions around laser vision correction and contact lens wear. The article confirmed some of our thoughts but also brought new information to light about contact lens wear. It is an ongoing 3-year study that is helping us to understand satisfaction rates with our LASIK and contact lens patient population.

The fact that more than 90% found both methods satisfactory was really no surprise, but the issues around nighttime driving vision and dry eyes did present some revelations. First, a surgeon definitely does not want to make things worse and the issue of nighttime driving vision has always been an issue in the post-LASIK patient. However, with newer laser ablation profiles I find that in a series of mine (n = 24,609) that 1 in 1,250 (0.08%) patients report glare or halos after a year. In this series, 13 in 100 (13%) patients noted difficulty driving at night because of their vision. Second, 55% of the contact lens patient population reported dry eye symptoms during the previous week and 74% reported feelings of dry, irritated eyes that affected their vision, their comfort or both. Both of these issues are facts that we must consider when counseling our patients about either option.

This series serves several purposes. It helps us establish a benchmark for our surgical population. It helps to better serve our patients with accurate information to counsel the patient. Finally, it shows us that both options are received favorably and would be highly recommended to family and friends.

Karl G. Stonecipher, MD

Medical Director, TLC, Greensboro, N.C.

Assistant Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology, University of North Carolina

Disclosures: Stonecipher has no relevant financial disclosures.

American Academy of Ophthalmology Meeting

Survey: Majority of contact lens wearers satisfied with vision

Perspective