Impact of personality on the decision process and on satisfaction rates in pseudophakic presbyopic correction

Abstract

Purpose: To explore the impact of personality on the decision process and satisfaction rates in pseudophakic presbyopic correction.

Setting: Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital of Alexandroupolis, Greece.

Design: Prospective, comparative study.

Methods: A consistent consultation was conducted in patients with cataract that explained the benefits and the drawbacks of bilateral trifocal correction, which was offered at no extra cost. In all participants, personality was evaluated by The Traits Personality Questionnaire 5. Data modeling with decision trees and multiple regression analysis identified the contributions of personality traits to the decision process and postoperative satisfaction.

Results: Of 120 participants (60 men and 60 women), 81 (67.5%, 24 men, 57 women) selected premium correction. In men, low neuroticism and high extraversion were the primary personality contributors for selecting premium surgery. In women, all personality traits contributed to the selection process. Women were more demanding in the expected postoperative distant acuity than men (0.1 vs 0.2 logMAR) to present high satisfaction. For both men and women, openness to experience, conscientiousness, and extraversion are primary contributors for optimal satisfaction rates.

Conclusions: Men and women demonstrate differences in the selection process for premium pseudophakic surgery and differences in the expected postoperative visual acuity. It seems that the personality of the patient plays a significant role in the perceived outcome after premium surgery.