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Refractive surgery by fellows gets a thumbs up from patients. A new study found that wavefront-guided LASIK and PRK performed by corneal fellows in training led to meaningful improvements in vision, quality of life, and overall satisfaction at 3 months post-op — easing concerns about trainee-performed procedures.
Worried about having a trainee perform your eye surgery? The data says you might not need to be. A study published in the Journal of Refractive Surgery evaluated 137 eyes of 69 patients who underwent wavefront-guided LASIK or PRK performed by corneal fellows between 2017 and 2024. Using the PROWL questionnaire, researchers tracked visual function, symptoms, and quality of life before and 3 months after surgery.
Both procedures delivered across the board — patients reported significant improvements in work productivity, activity limitations, far vision, worry about vision, and visual symptoms like glare, halos, and starbursts. PRK patients also saw notable gains in driving difficulty, though LASIK patients did not. Notably, neither group showed significant improvement in ocular surface disease.
By the Numbers:
Why it matters: Many patients hesitate to pursue refractive surgery due to fear of complications — and concerns about trainee surgeons can add another layer of anxiety. These findings offer reassurance that fellow-performed procedures can yield high satisfaction and real visual improvements, giving both patients and physicians a stronger evidence base for shared decision-making.
