People Who Choose LASIK After Contact Lenses Are More Satisfied with Their Vision and Remain Satisfied Over Time, New Study from Price Vision Group Finds

New Study Is First to Compare Patient-Reported Satisfaction Rates
Between LASIK and Contact Lenses

INDIANAPOLIS–(BUSINESS WIRE)–A new study finds contact lens users who chose to have LASIK were more
satisfied with their vision a year after the surgery – and even more
satisfied after two- and even three years. The study is the first to
directly compare satisfaction rates of contact lens wearers with those
who opt for LASIK laser vision correction surgery.

According to Three-Year Longitudinal Survey Comparing Visual
Satisfaction with LASIK and Contact Lenses
(http://www.aaojournal.org/article/S0161-6420(16)30096-3/fulltext),
former contact-lens users surveyed after LASIK surgery reported
higher satisfaction rates than a control group that did not have LASIK
and instead continued to use contacts. In follow-up surveys conducted
two and three years after the procedure, LASIK satisfaction rates were
consistently high, while contact lens satisfaction rates declined
steadily. The study was conducted by the Cornea Research Foundation of
America. Findings were published in the August 2016 issue of Ophthalmology,
the journal of the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

The study suggests that of available vision correction options, LASIK
produces the highest levels of satisfaction.

“The study found that patients who had eye surgery using modern LASIK
technology had higher levels of satisfaction after one, two and three
years than people who continued to wear corrective lenses. This is the
first study to compare LASIK satisfaction rates over time with a control
group of individuals wearing contact lenses for vision correction.
Without this control group, we might lose sight of LASIK outcomes
relative to real-life vision correction options,” said Francis W. Price,
Jr. MD, lead investigator of the study and director of the Price Vision
Group. “This patient-reported approach establishes a much-needed
baseline and real-world assessment of LASIK and contact lens
performance.”

The survey population consisted of 1,800 people from 20 research sites
in the U.S. 694 (39 percent) comprised the control group that did not
have LASIK and instead continued contact lens use. 819 (45 percent) were
contact lens users who had LASIK, and 287 (16 percent) were eyeglass
users who had LASIK. All subjects were given a survey at the beginning
of the study to establish a baseline and annual follow-up surveys via
email for three years.

Key findings from the study were:

  • Contact lens satisfaction declined with time:

    • The proportion expressing strong satisfaction with their
      contact lenses decreased from 63 percent at the start of the study
      to 54 percent at year 3.
    LASIK satisfaction remained consistently
    higher with time
    • 88 percent of former contact lens users and 77 percent of former
      glasses wearers reported being strongly satisfied with
      LASIK at year 3, consistent with the high satisfaction levels at
      years 1 and 2.
    LASIK significantly reduced night driving
    difficulties among former content lens wearers
    • Among former contact lens wearers, the proportion reporting no
      difficulty with night driving improved from 42 percent at baseline
      (wearing contacts) to 60 percent at three years after LASIK.
    • Those without night vision issues such as starbursts or halos
      around bright lights improved from 49 percent at baseline (wearing
      contacts) to 60 percent at three years after LASIK.
    • The study found that modern excimer lasers and ablation patterns
      can significantly improve night vision relative to contact lenses
      or glasses.
    LASIK had a better long-term safety profile
    • Each year, the self-reported rates of eye infections, abrasions,
      and corneal ulcers were over twice as high in the control group
      who continued using contact lenses as compared with the group who
      had LASIK.
    No significant increase in patients reporting
    depression
    • Among LASIK patients in the general population, a small but vocal
      group of individuals reported symptoms of depression after having
      LASIK. This study did not detect any significant increase in
      patients reporting feelings of depression relative to baseline or
      during the 1-, 2- or 3-year follow-up surveys in any of the vision
      correction groups, including after LASIK.
    Patients should be asked about any history of
    contact lens intolerance
    • Dry eye sensation was prevalent among the contact lens wearers in
      the study.
    • Seventy-four (74) percent of those who wore glasses at baseline
      reported that they had tried and discontinued contact lens wear,
      often because of dry eye problems, suggesting that a tendency
      toward dry eyes may be common and not as obvious in LASIK
      candidates who primarily use glasses for vision correction. This
      suggests these patients should be asked about any history of
      contact lens intolerance.

    The study is among the first to focus on findings from patient
    self-reported data providing new insight into patient perceptions of
    outcomes with healthcare. Dr. Price added, “Patient-reported outcomes
    give us a new way to evaluate treatment efficacy, going beyond standard
    clinical metrics.”

    This latest validation of safety, effectiveness and resulting
    satisfaction associated with LASIK in the context of other vision
    correction options is particularly relevant to the burgeoning population
    of millennials, who have the highest rate of nearsightedness of any
    previous generation. Recent research reports the current rate of
    nearsightedness is nearly double that of 30 years ago. Importantly, the “Three-Year
    Longitudinal Survey Comparing Visual Satisfaction with LASIK and Contact
    Lenses
    ” study found that satisfaction was especially high among
    younger (< age 40) LASIK patient participants.

    About the Price Vision Group (www.pricevisiongroup.com)

    For more than 25 years, the physicians and staff at Price Vision Group
    have offered every patient personalized assistance in achieving the
    shared goal of more natural vision. Price Vision Group has assembled a
    team of some of the country’s finest ophthalmologists and optometrists,
    making Indianapolis a destination for people who want the best in eye
    health and vision correction. Other doctors refer their challenging
    surgical patients to Dr. Price and his team based on his expertise and
    experience with complex corneal procedures, and his reputation as an
    innovator and educator in LASIK and other refractive procedures. Our
    doctors are also among a small group of surgeons who routinely conduct
    clinical investigations of new devices and surgical procedures.

    About the Cornea Research Foundation of America

    Founded in 1988 by Dr. Francis W. Price Jr., the Cornea Research
    Foundation of America (www.cornea.org)
    is a non-profit organization whose mission is to give each person the
    opportunity for the best possible vision by innovating solutions for
    vision impairment and sharing results through relevant educational
    channels to reach a global audience. CRFA strives to expand
    possibilities and enrich lives by optimizing sight.

    Contacts

    Engaged Communication
    Lisa Spicer, 818-785-5287

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