Is refractive surgery cosmetic?

Abstract

This qualitative study explored the experience of individuals who have undergone Refractive Surgery. The reasons why the individual decides to go through with this surgery were further explored. Ultimately, I want to find out whether patients undergo Refractive surgery to enhance their appearance therefore making the surgery a “cosmetic” one. Not having correct eye vision in the majority of your life may impact one’s life in some way. The surgery may not look as a drastic change in people’s eyes but for the individual it might mean a lot. Semistructured interviews were carried out and the selected sample included 8 individuals, four men and four women who have undergone the surgery over 1 to 10 years ago. Ages ranged from 23 to 49 years old. The transcripts were analysed using Thematic Analysis (TA). The five main themes identified were; Quality of life, health, aesthetics, support and sports. Findings show that most individuals decide to correct their vision not specifically for looks but for the comfortability (quality) of life and to eliminate their dependency on eye glasses or contact lenses.