Motivation of candidates for refractive surgery

Purpose: To determine the profile and motivations of patients who are candidates for refractive surgery. Material and Methods: We studied 102 patients with low myopia (less than 6 diopters) in a single-center investigation. Results: Among the total population studied, the motivation for refractive surgery was essentially comfort and appearance. Fewer men wore contact lenses than women and had worn them for a shorter period of time. Those involved in sports were more often in individual sports. Contact-lens wearers were most often students or in the paramedical professions. Discussion: The population interested in refractive surgery was very young. The proportion of candidates who had never worn contact lenses was surprisingly high. Conclusion: This analysis suggests that patients too often consider refractive surgery as an easy option.