Eyeworld Supplements

2 Achieving premium outcomes and practice success with next-generation laser vision correction ablations by David Hardten, MD The impact of exceeding 20/20: achieving patient satisfaction and practice growth aggressively manage dry eye and ocular surface irritation. Mean satisfaction is a function of UCVA. According to monocular data from Steven Schallhorn, MD, from Optical Express, 70% of patients were pleased with 20/20 UCVA 1 month after surgery, but 81% were very satisfied with 20/16 UCVA and 87% were very satisfied with 20/12 UCVA. As vision surpassed 20/20, moving from 20/16 to 20/12, patients were more likely to refer others to the practice that performed the procedure. we need to achieve excellent UCVA during the initial surgery. 1,2 It is not uncommon that patients are disap- pointed with 20/20 UCVA. Although we may perform enhancement surgery to increase patient satisfaction, we do not want an enhancement rate of 6% or 7%, which breaks down satisfaction rates and increases costs and frustration. Patient satisfaction is negatively correlated with postoperative visual disturbances, and the most common cause is residual refractive error. Patient satisfaction also is negatively correlated with ocular symptoms, so we need to Advanced laser vision correction technology and improved measurement standards can help increase patient satisfaction T o achieve success with laser vision correction (LVC), sur- geons need to exceed patients' expectations and reach beyond 20/20. Topography-guided and advanced wavefront-guided technology and new measurement standards can help surgeons attain the outcomes patients expect. Achieving patient satisfaction Our patients' results—including their experiences, visual outcomes, and overall satisfaction—drive patient-to-patient referrals, which are key to LVC practice growth (Figure 1). Even as we refine our outcomes, however, postoperative assessments may not reflect results that exceed 20/20. When evaluating patients after LASIK, ophthalmic technicians often are trained to stop measurements at 20/20, but we must ask them to measure 20/15 or 20/16 outcomes. In our assessments, we also can calculate the ratio of postoperative uncorrected distance visual acuity versus corrected distance visual acuity, evaluate contrast sensitivity, and examine patient satisfaction surveys. Research has shown that patient satisfaction is highly correlated with uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA), and Figure 1. Drivers of patient referrals include patient experiences, visual outcomes, and overall satisfaction. Figure 2. Monocular 1-month postop UCVA after latest wavefront-guided LASIK in 8,905 eyes Figure courtesy of Steven Schallhorn, MD Drivers of patient referrals • Results: • Patient experience • Visual outcomes • Overall satisfaction • Results driven by: • Technology • Assessments of successful outcomes 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 84% 95% 99% 100% 20/16 20/20 20/25 20/40 Latest wavefront-guided LASIK

• Cover