Selecting the Right Eye LASIK Surgeon

One of the most important issues to consider before moving forward with your decision to have LASIK eye surgery is your selection of the right eye lasik surgeon.  

There are numerous eye specialists but not all are competent enough to perform the LASIK procedure.  To help in your decision making, let’s clarify the types of eye care specialists: an ophthalmologist, an optometrist or an optician.

Types of eye care providers

The educational backgrounds of eye care providers vary depending on whether they are ophthalmologists, optometrists, or opticians.   All three may be involved with providing corrective lenses for everyday vision problems such as myopia or hyperopia, but there are certain differences when it comes to their profession.

Ophthalmologists are physicians with medical degrees, designated by an M.D. after their names.  They are the specialists working for surgeries and managing serious eye diseases.

Now that we’ve covered that distinction, what you need to remember is to look for eye care providers who are certified to perform LASIK eye correction procedure.  

In the overall scheme of things, LASIK, PRK or a corneal ring implantation are not as complicated as many other kinds of surgery, but a bad eye procedure outcome can affect your life almost as negatively as the negative outcome of a heart operation.  It’s essential, therefore, that you select the best eye surgeon available.

How then, do you find the right LASIK doctor to perform your eye lasik surgery?

1. Recommendation from another patient

Before undergoing a vision correction procedure like LASIK, try to locate a patient who had problems following surgery. 

If you find out that those eye lasik problems ultimately were resolved and the patient retains a favorable feeling toward the surgeon, you’ll know that you’ve probably found the “one” – someone who considers the patient first.  However, if you discover out that the patient feels abandoned, then why waste your time and wait for that doctor to examine you?  Continue with your search.

2. Go online

Use the Internet to find out if your doctor is a recognized authority in the field or if he or she is quoted in any medical journals.  You can even locate some eye clinics that are associated with the very best eye care and research.  If the doctor is affiliated with one of these clinics, then it’s likely that you’ll be in good hands.

3. Consider the advertisements, but be very cautious 

There are several refractive surgery centers advertising in the media--newspapers, television and radio.   Don’t be influenced by the lure of a good ad or by pricing. While that can be a starting point, this should not be your only criteria in choosing a LASIK surgeon.

Remember, LASIK surgery is just that—it is a surgical procedure. So you have to exercise extreme caution in making your selection of a surgeon. It’s essential that you keep that point in mind; even though a lot of companies make LASIK sound like it is a quick and easy commodity. Be careful, therefore, of misleading advertising claims.  If, for instance, someone says he’s been using a laser for 15 years, then don’t accept that claim.  Probably, he’s talking about another type of laser or eye correction procedure as LASIK eye surgery hasn’t been around that long.    The LASIK was actually first introduced just in 1998.

 4. Get a referral

Ask your eye care practitioner for a referral regardless of whether it’s for an ophthalmologist or optometrist.  Let your practitioner know that you want the LASIK surgeon in your area with the best reputation. 

5. Pay attention to how the doctor responds to your needs

During your visit to the eye lasik surgeon, observe if the doctor listens to you and gives you undivided attention or if he or she seems hurried and distracted.  It’s likely you can expect the same response if you need assurance or if the LASIK procedure doesn’t go smoothly.  Also note if the doctor is forthright in explaining the possibilities of complications. 

Pay close attention as well to the office environment. Is the eye surgeon’s office or clinic cold and impersonal? 

Do you get the feeling that you’re just part of an assembly line, a statistic? If you do, trust your gut feeling and continue your search for a reputable eye surgeon.

6. Consult surgeons who are associated with a reliable organization.

Visit professional organizations that provide contact information for members on the web to find the right LASIK surgeon in your area.   Such organizations may include the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the Opticians Association of America, and the American Optometric Association. 

Ask your potential surgeon if he or she is associated with an academic medical center, like the teaching hospital or one that is well-known for advanced technology.  Those who work in or are at least associated with academic medical centers are more likely to keep up to date with current developments in the field as well as new procedures. And if you’re interested in an advanced medical therapy that may be new, ask if the eye specialist participated in the scientific investigation or clinical trial leading up to approval.  This just means that the doctor probably has more experience with the therapy.

Ask a refractive surgeon

If you’re visiting with an eye doctor about possibly undergoing a LASIK vision correction procedure, don’t hesitate to ask questions.  Find out what kind of follow up you’ll need, especially if anything goes wrong.   Also, ask him or her if complicated cases receive the highest priority in allocation of time, above new cases that would be more profitable.  

7. Check other resources

Consult the Yellow Pages and pick up the phone--call refractive surgery centers located in your area.  Most of them no doubt have websites that explain their specialties as well as list the doctors’ credentials.  Some sites may even allow you to search for a particular lasik doctor.

After you’ve selected your eye LASIK surgeon, the next step is the consultation. This is a very important meeting.   To take full advantage of it, write down every single question you can think of.   And during your visit ask every single one. Crucial questions to ask a refractive surgeon are covered in our next article.

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