OBJECTIVE: Evaluate the knowledge of medical students from Universidade Estadual de Londrina (UEL), about refractive surgery, as well as analyzing the percentage of students that presents refractive errors, their correction methods and their interest (or not) in the surgical procedure. METHODS: We conducted a survey using self-evaluation questionnaire (previously tested) among 154 medical students from first to fourth year, between september and november 2011. RESULTS: It was reported that 70.8% of students had some type of refractive error, and myopia was the most prevalent,with 72.5% of students with refractive erros presenting it, with or without other refractive errors associated. The glasses were the most used method of visual correction . About refractive surgery, 85.7% of students had already heard about, but only 42.9% knew how the procedure is performed, and the ophthalmologist was the main source of information on the subject, to 23.5% of students. Only 43.2% of students have an interest in surgery, and only 3 (1.9%) students have been undergoing the procedure. CONCLUSION: There has been little information and knowledge about refractive surgery among medical students,which affects their interest in undergoing the procedure, which maybe due the fact that many of them do not have the most adequate source of information to obtain knowledge about the subject.
Students, medical; Myopia; Visual acuity; Refractive errors; Knowledge
