Multi-Site Study of Patient Reported Vision Quality and Dry Eye Following LASIK
Study Overview
This multicenter observational study enrolled 300 patients who had undergone WaveLight LASIK — using either a wavefront-optimized or topography-guided treatment approach with the Alcon WaveLight EX500 laser — for myopia or myopic astigmatism. Patients were surveyed approximately 12 to 15 months after surgery using three validated questionnaires: a modified PROWL (Patient-Reported Outcomes with LASIK), the OSDI (Ocular Surface Disease Index), and a dry eye symptom questionnaire.
NVISION Eye Centers (San Diego) was one of the participating clinical sites, and NVISION physician Dr. Mihir Parikh is a co-author. The study was IRB-approved, registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT06668909), and published in Clinical Ophthalmology in March 2026.
Key Findings: Patient Satisfaction
Patient satisfaction with vision was the study’s primary endpoint — the main outcome the researchers set out to measure.
| Metric | Result |
|---|---|
| Completely or very satisfied with vision |
95% |
| Would choose to have LASIK again |
98% |
| Would recommend to a friend or family member |
98% |
| Said LASIK improved their quality of life |
97% |
The remaining 5% of patients reported being “somewhat satisfied.” No patients reported dissatisfaction with their vision at the 12-month follow-up.
Key Findings: Visual Disturbances
Patients were asked to rate how frequently they experienced four types of visual disturbances (double images, glare, halos, and starbursts) and how bothersome those disturbances were. The table below shows the percentage of patients who found each disturbance “extremely” or “very” bothersome — the threshold most likely to affect daily quality of life.
| Visual Disturbance | Always/Often (%) | Extremely/Very Bothersome (%) | Impairs Daily Activities (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Double images | 1% | 0% | 0% |
| Glare | 6% | 2% | 0% |
| Halos | 4% | 1% | 1% |
| Starbursts | 11% | 3% | 1% |
Starbursts were the most frequently reported disturbance. While 11% of patients experienced them often or always, only 3% found them very or extremely bothersome — and only 1% said they significantly impaired daily activities.
On driving specifically: 94% of patients reported no difficulty driving during the day. For nighttime driving, 54% reported no difficulty at all.
Key Findings: Dry Eye
Dry eye was assessed using the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI), where a score below 12 indicates an asymptomatic, normal ocular surface.
Mean OSDI score at 12 months: 8.7 ± 8.2 — within the range indicative of a normal ocular surface. 72% of patients scored below 12 (asymptomatic). Only 4% were using prescription dry eye medication.
91% of patients said they “never” or “rarely” experienced changes in the clarity of their vision over the course of a day — one of the most noticeable day-to-day symptoms of dry eye. 42% were using artificial tears, with most using them once per day.
Study Context & Limitations
The authors note that this study used the same standardized PROWL questionnaire as the FDA-sponsored PROWL-1 and PROWL-2 studies, allowing for meaningful comparison across published literature. The primary limitation acknowledged by the researchers is the absence of a comparator group — no preoperative-to-postoperative comparison or head-to-head comparison between treatment approaches was included. The ambispective design was chosen to minimize patient burden and enable efficient data collection across multiple sites.
Patient selection criteria were rigorous: participants were excluded for pre-existing dry eye, corneal irregularities, autoimmune disease, glaucoma, diabetes, and prior corneal surgeries. This reflects real-world clinical practice, where careful candidate selection is a key driver of outcomes.