Vitreoretinal surgery outcomes: Results of a patient satisfaction survey

Purpose. To assess patient satisfaction and change in functional status following surgery for epiretinal membrane (ERM), rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD), and complex retinal detachment (CRD), and to determine if objective measures of vision are predictive of subj ective improvement. Methods. Clinical records of all patients who underwent vitreoretinal surgery by one surgeon at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute between January 1993 and December 1994 were reviewed. Patients were interviewed by telephone at least six months postoperatively. Results. Of 187 eligible patients, 146 (78.1%) could be contacted and all participated. Ninety (61.8%) patients reported improved functioning in >2 of the 5 activities investigated. Twenty-one {14.4%) patients reported worse postoperative vision than expected, but only 5 (3.4%) patients felt surgery had not been worthwhile. Patients with preoperative study eye vision between 20/40 and 20/200 were most likely to improve in 2.2 activities. Lower preoperative worse eye vision and better final study eye vision were associated with a greater likelihood of satisfaction. Conclusions. There is a high rate of patient satisfaction and improved functional status after surgery for ERM, RRD, and CRD, even among patients with good fellow eye vision.