Anxiety-related Fixation Instability During LASIK

Anxiety-related Fixation Instability During Laser in Situ Keratomileusis (LASIK)

Anxiety is common among patients undergoing eye surgery, which is typically performed under topical anesthesia while the patient is awake. This can be an unsettling experience for patients, who may worry about being able to keep their eyes still during surgery, cooperate with the surgical team, and remain immobile in an unfamiliar environment. Patients may also experience anxiety due to concerns about surgical pain, possible complications, and the uncertainty of the outcome of the surgery.

In this study, the investigators aimed to investigate the correlation between the severity of anxiety symptoms during LASIK, and fixation instability during photo-ablation as plotted by the eye tracker.

Patient cooperation during LASIK is essential for the surgeon's comfort and predictable results. Fixation instability, which is the inability of the patient to keep their eye still during surgery, is a common problem during LASIK surgery and may lead to unexpected outcomes.

Eye movements occur continually during the excimer ablation. These eye movements can have a large amplitude, a frequency of over 100 Hz, and a corneal speed of around 150 mm/s. With the advancement of scanning-spot excimer lasers, much work has focused on increasing the efficacy of the photo-ablation and smoothness of the ablated surface, especially with respect to the position of the patient's eye by developing state-of-the-art eye trackers to help maintain alignment during photoablation, which can improve refractive outcome.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Candidates undergoing LASIK with

  1. Myopia up to 12 diopters
  2. Hyperopia up to 6 diopters
  3. Astigmatism up to 6 diopters

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Previous corneal surgery,
2. Pregnant or lactating females,
3. Concomitant ocular or systemic disease that contraindicated LASIK,
4. Patients with communication barriers, hypochondria, previous stressful surgical experiences, taking psychotropic drugs, or having a history of any clinically relevant psychiatric or cardiovascular disease.