Open AccessLASIK Complications and the Internet: Is the Public being Mislead?
Author(s) -
Daragh Kennedy Fahey,
Johannes Weinberg
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
jmir. journal of medical internet research/journal of medical internet research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.446
H-Index - 142
eISSN - 1439-4456
pISSN - 1438-8871
DOI - 10.2196/jmir.5.1.e2
Subject(s) - lasik , keratomileusis , the internet , medicine , web application , quality (philosophy) , web site , information quality , optometry , computer science , surgery , information system , world wide web , political science , philosophy , visual acuity , epistemology , law
Background LASIK (Laser in Situ Keratomileusis) is a very popular combined surgical and laser procedure, which is used to correct myopia (shortsightedness) and hyperopia (farsightedness). There is concern that the public is being misled regarding the safety of the procedure. very popular combined surgical and laser procedure, which is used to correct myopia (shortsightedness) and hyperopia (farsightedness). There is concern that the public is being misled regarding the safety of the procedure. Objectives To assess the quality and quantity of the information on complications on LASIK Web sites. information on complications on LASIK Web sites. Method Serial analysis and evaluation of the authorship, content, and technical quality of the information on the complications of LASIK on 21 Web sites. content, and technical quality of the information on the complications of LASIK on 21 Web sites. Results Of the 21 LASIK Web sites visited, 17 were commercial. Of the 21 Web sites, 5 (24%) had no information on complications. Of the 16 sites that had information on complications the author of the information was clearly identified in 5 (31%), the content was only referenced in 2 (12.5%), and evidence of the information having been updated was only seen in 2 (12.5%). The quantity of information is generally minimal and the information itself is generally difficult to understand and locate. commercial. Of the 21 Web sites, 5 (24%) had no information on complications. Of the 16 sites that had information on complications the author of the information was clearly identified in 5 (31%), the content was only referenced in 2 (12.5%), and evidence of the information having been updated was only seen in 2 (12.5%). The quantity of information is generally minimal and the information itself is generally difficult to understand and locate. Conclusions The quality and quantity of the information on the Web on the complications of LASIK are poor. More work is required to encourage clear, accurate, up-to-date, clearly authored, and well-referenced, balanced ophthalmic information. on the Web on the complications of LASIK are poor. More work is required to encourage clear, accurate, up-to-date, clearly authored, and well-referenced, balanced ophthalmic information.