Standardized graphs and terms for refractive surgery results.

A critical element of peer-reviewed publication is clear communication to the reader and the ophthalmic and medical community. Refractive surgery has the luxury of multiple procedures with multiple outcome parameters that are relevant to clinicians, researchers, and, of course, patients. This diversity introduces complexity for the reader in evaluating and comparing various procedures as they are applied to various patient populations. For over a decade, the editors of the Journal of Refractive Surgery (JRS) and the Journal of Cataract & Refractive Surgery (JCRS) have advocated a minimally acceptable level of standardization in reporting results of refractive surgical procedures.1,2 This has culminated in a set of criteria that include basic elements that must be reported in every manuscript. To further this goal of clear reporting, the editors of JCRS, JRS, and Cornea would like to announce their collaboration in standardizing two aspects of data reporting in refractive surgery.