SATISFACTION INDEX AFTER REFRACTIVE SURGERY: A COMPREHENSIVE NARRATIVE REVIEW

Introduction: Refractive surgery, including LASIK, PRK, and SMILE, has evolved as a reliable option for correcting ametropias. Patient satisfaction has emerged as a crucial outcome metric, reflecting not only visual acuity but also quality of life and expectations. Objective: This narrative review aims to explore and synthesize the current evidence on satisfaction indices post-refractive surgery, considering factors such as visual outcomes, patient-reported quality of life, surgical technique, and postoperative symptoms. Methods: A comprehensive search was performed across PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar. Studies published in English in the last five years, focusing on human subjects and discussing patient satisfaction after refractive procedures, were selected for analysis. Results and Discussion: Most studies report high satisfaction rates post-surgery, with visual quality and rapid recovery being prominent contributors. However, factors such as dry eye symptoms, residual refractive error, and glare can reduce satisfaction in specific subsets. Newer techniques like SMILE have shown promising improvements in patient comfort and reduced postoperative symptoms. Conclusion: Although refractive surgery yields high satisfaction indices, individual patient profiles and expectations must be carefully assessed preoperatively. Future research should emphasize long-term satisfaction outcomes, standardization of satisfaction measurement tools, and comparative studies across technologies.