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Comparison of NEI RQL–42 Scores in LASIK vs. CRT Patients

¹ New England College of Optometry, Boston, MA
² College of Optometry, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH

Commercial Relationships: M.J. Rah, None; M.D. Bailey, None; J. Hayes, None; A. Kwok, None; K. Zadnik, None.

Grant Identification: none

Abstract

Purpose: The National Eye Institute Refractive Error Questionnaire—42 (NEI RQL–42) was developed specifically for evaluating symptoms and satisfaction associated with modes of refractive error correction such as spectacles, contact lenses, and/or LASIK. The present study is a multi–center study comparing results from the RQL–42 after refractive surgery (LASIK) and Corneal Refractive Therapy (CRT).

Methods: The NEI RQL–42 was administered to 63 LASIK patients and 30 CRT patients before treatment and 1 and 3 months following treatment. Non–parametric ANOVA was used to determine baseline differences in subscale scores between the two groups. Repeated measures ANOVA adjusting for baseline differences were used to compare the two groups over time.

Results: There were statistically significant differences in subscale scores between the groups at baseline with higher scores (better quality of life) in the LASIK group. There were no statistically significant differences between groups for any of the subscales comparing the 1 or 3 months visits after adjusting the comparisons for baseline differences between the groups. Given the sample sizes of 30 CRT and 63 LASIK patients, using the average standard deviation across all groups, we had 80 % power to detect a 9 point difference between the 2 groups with an alpha of 0.05.

Subscale mean scores for each group and p–values comparing the difference at 3 months post–treatment

Subscale Mean Score LASIK Mean Score CRT p–value Clarity of Vision 68.6 69.3 0.90 Expectations 54.6 51.1 0.43 Near Vision 87.6 90.0 0.48 Far Vision 88.5 88.2 0.91 Diurnal Fluctuations 73.1 74.0 0.84 Activity Limitations 95.7 96.5 0.83 Glare 61.6 62.4 0.89 Symptoms 82.4 82.4 0.98 Dependence on Correction 84.9 84.5 0.95 Satisfaction with Correction 78.2 75.5 0.59

Conclusion: The two groups demonstrated different levels of refractive error correction–related quality of life prior to treatment. The lack of differences between groups following treatment can be attributed either to a lack of sensitivity of the instrument (NEI–RQL) to detect differences, or that no difference between these two groups exists in terms of quality of life.

Keywords: quality of life • refractive surgery: comparative studies • contact lens

© 2004, The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, Inc., all rights reserved. For permission to reproduce any part of this abstract, contact the ARVO Office at arvo{at}arvo.org.