Prevalence of Laser Vision Correction Among Qassim Medical Students

Abstract

Background and Aim: Laser vision correction is considered one of the most common optional eye surgeries done worldwide. It includes a variety of procedures with changing indications in modern ophthalmology. The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of laser vision correction (LVC) among medical students at the college of medicine, Qassim University, Saudi Arabia and to assess their level of satisfaction. Methods: Cross-sectional observational randomized questionnaire study. The questionnaire was distributed to 200 medical students randomly selected from each academic year, where the self-reported response was recorded. Results: Responses were completed by 195 out of 200 subjects. Of the 195 subjects, 104 (53.3%) reported that they had refractive errors. Myopia was the most prevalent type of refractive errors. Of the 104 students with refractive errors, only 10 (9.6 %) had undergone refractive surgery. Eight out of ten were females, and the two were males. The 94 of 195 participants who did not do LVC were satisfied with glasses or contact lenses while a few of them were afraid of postoperative complications. More than 90% of those who underwent refractive were satisfied after the refractive surgery. Conclusions: The prevalence of refractive errors among medical students of Qassim University is comparable to general population. The prevalence of LVC among them is also comparable to international published reports.

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