How to Choose a LASIK Surgeon

LASIK eye surgery is not a complicated medical process. However, if the procedure is done in the wrong way, the outcome will affect your life as bad as a failed heart surgery. Therefore, choosing a good LASIK surgeon is a must.

A lot of LASIK eye surgery centers are advertising their services on radio, newspapers, and TV. There are some with extra informative advertisement while there are those that peddle exceptionally good pricing. However, this should not be your main criterion in looking for a good surgeon. Don’t believe too much on the power of media.

There are other important criteria for you to consider before deciding on which surgeon to be chosen. Ask if the surgeon is associated with the academic medical center. There is a lot of misleading advertisement, be attentive. If someone confess that they had been expert of laser for almost 20 years, don’t believe them since it could be something else since LASIK procedure hasn’t been around for that long. Ask for referral from eye care practitioner and tell him that you are looking for one with the best reputation in your area that can do the LASIK procedure.

Moreover, you should decide by yourself if the surgeon is versatile. LASIK isn’t the sole game in this world and it is not the answer to everyone’s eye problem. Therefore you should also see if the surgeon is competent in any other tasks. Look for one which is capable of doing PRK, LASIK, CK, LASEK as well as clear lens replacement. If your surgeon is knowledgeable enough in doing multi-procedures then you can be confident that he will be able to look for a particular means to correct your vision.

If your having a doubt, never think as if your are obliged to hire his service. Of course, you can talk to other surgeons so you can compare rates and service better. This does not mean that you are offending anyone. It is a normal practice to look for a second opinion and doctors would even ask their patients to practice doing such. You should work with someone that you are comfortable with and someone whom you trust. If you can’t develop a rapport then there is no point in hiring his service.

You should remember that LASIK surgery has its own risk. Therefore, choosing a good LASIK surgeon that could lessen the menace is your first step. Any reputable surgeon will not perform the surgery unless the patient has been properly screened.

Moreover, the Council for Refractive Surgery Quality Assurance listed various questions to ask the surgeon. Below is a short recap:

How long have you been expose to refractive surgery procedures?
How many procedures have you done?
What percentage of your refractive surgery patients was able to obtain Snellen uncorrected visual acuity?
What fraction obtained 20/20 or better?
Can you provide names and contact numbers of your past patients?
Have your license for refractive surgery had been revoked before?
These questions will provide the necessary information that you would surely love to get from your doctor.

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