In a study published in the Journal of Cataract & Refractive Surgery, researchers found bilateral laser refractive surgery was more frequent among young, active and affluent women in the United Kingdom.
The study included 2,441 patients who reported undergoing laser refractive surgery; 1,892 patients had bilateral surgery and 549 patients had unilateral surgery. The analysis also included 106,875 subjects who did not undergo laser refractive surgery.
Investigators collected data on sociodemographic factors, medical history and patient reports on refractive error, ocular disease and treatment received.
Here are five key points:
1. Manifest spherical equivalent ranged from -19.59 D to 9.19 D among patients who had surgery in one eye.
2. About 47.9 percent of patients were emmetropic, 34.8 percent were myopic and 17.4 percent were hyperopic.
3. The range was 25.04 D to 7.36 D in patients who underwent bilateral surgery; 77.3 percent were emmetropic, 13.6 percent were myopic and 9.1 percent were hypertrophic.
4. Use of eyeglasses or contact lenses was reported by 56.3 percent of patients who had bilateral surgery, 75.6 percent of those who had unilateral surgery and 88.9 percent of those who had refractive error and did not undergo surgery.
5. Twenty-eight percent of patients who underwent refractive surgery reported other eye conditions vs. 11 percent of those who were eligible for treatment but did not have surgery.