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The role of patient personality traits in planning for laser refractive surgery

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First Author: C.Lam HONG KONG

Co Author(s):    K. Shih   T. Mok   T. Lau   W. Chan   T. Chan        

Abstract Details

Purpose:

The process of guiding a patient to make an informed decision on laser refractive surgery is a rewarding challenge for the ophthalmologist. Apart from the patient’s refractive error, dry eye status, cornea parameters and occupation, a better understanding of refractive surgery patients personality traits may help to improve the consultation experience for both the patient and the ophthalmologist. In this study we aim to investigate the personality traits of consecutive patients undergoing laser refractive surgery and compare them to age- and education-matched individuals who opt not for the procedure.

Setting:

100 consecutive subjects interested in laser refractive surgery (LASIK or SMILE) at the Guy Hugh Chan Laser Refractive Surgery Centre at the Hong Kong Sanatorium and Hospital, Hong Kong SAR and 75 age and education level-matched subjects not interested in refractive surgery were recruited between November 2018 to October 2019.

Methods:

The 175 subjects were asked to provide demographic details and undergo a 44-item Big Five Inventory Questionnaire. In the end, 168 completed questionnaires were analysed (93 refractive surgery patients, 68 controls). A single surgeon at the Hong Kong Sanatorium and Hospital was responsible for conducting the preoperative consultation to all 100 patients before making the final decision for refractive surgery. Continuous variables were presented as mean ± SD. Student’s T test was used to compare personality trait scores between groups (Refractive Surgery vs No Refractive Surgery, LASIK vs SMILE). Chi Squared test was used to compare subject demographics between groups.

Results:

Differences in personality traits were found between subjects undergoing laser refractive surgery (LASIK/SMILE) and those not interested refractive surgery. In aspects of extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness and openness, the two groups performed similarly except for neuroticism, which was significantly higher in the refractive surgery group (p <0.05). Comparing between LASIK (78 subjects) and SMILE (15 subjects) groups, neuroticism was higher in the SMILE group (p 0.08). Regarding occupation, the group undergoing refractive surgery was significantly more likely to be involved in service or retail occupations compared to age and occupation matched controls (p <0.05).

Conclusions:

It is important for the refractive surgeon to be mindful of the higher levels of neuroticism trait in refractive surgery patients compared to age and education matched controls when setting expectations preoperatively and managing postoperative outcomes.

Financial Disclosure:

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