Laser Eye Surgeons - Finding the Right One

  Introduction to Laser Eye Surgeons

Refractive or laser eye surgery can affect the rest of your life and should not be embarked upon lightly. If you are considering it then you need to weigh up the risks and benefits, the costs and in particular your choice of surgeon or clinic.

The risks of surgery varies from procedure to procedure, from device to device and from surgeon to surgeon. It is important not to base your decision only on cost or choose the first eye clinic you encounter. Be wary of clinics that offer 'miracle cures' or '20/20 vision or your money back'. As with any surgical procedure, there are no guarantees that are worth the paper they are written on.

Check out the type of equipment that your surgeon will be using. Ask questions and find out your surgeons success rate with that equipment. Even the best patients being operated on by the best surgeons can experience complications, so never feel afraid to ask those serious questions. 

Under the care of an experienced and well chosen surgeon, patients that have been carefully screened and that have reasonable expectations and a clear understanding of the procedure, risks and benefits of surgery are likely to be satisfied with their refractive procedure.

Be wary of advertising that sounds too good to be true. In all probability it is!

    Finding a Surgeon

The choice of surgeon can be a very personal decision. Some people pick out their surgeon first and then find out what he can do for them. Some decide on what they want and then start on the search to find the best surgeon for that procedure, whilst others chose the clinic and accept whoever they are given.

Whichever method is chosen there is no right or wrong. It is the individuals choice and ultimately they are the only ones who can make the decision based on their own needs.

    Begin with your own Network

 
Word of mouth is often an excellent way to start. Personal recommendations from friends or acquaintances that have experienced laser eye surgery carry a lot of weight.

Discussing the matter with your regular optician can be beneficial and a good source of beneficial information.

    Expand the Possibilities

Consider outside resources such as eye surgeon search directories that are now available on the Internet. However, you should be clear in your own mind that these directories do not necessarily include all surgeons in your area nor do those tend to offer an unbiased view on the abilities of those surgeons. Many only include surgeons who are willing to pay a fee to be included or who are willing to pay for advertising on the site.

By all means use these sites to track down the contact details of surgeons near you but follow up by researching and checking their credentials carefully before finally embarking on surgery.

Message boards can be used to gain feedback from other people who have experienced laser eye surgery but you must bear in mind that a lot of these boards afford anonymity to those posting messages.

Therefore any information should be judged with that criteria in mind. 

Even if you have heard of a surgeon through your own network of contacts it is well worthwhile checking out their credentials on the various Ophthalmic Boards or Medical Associations that contain the relevant information.

Your local library can be a good source of information on medical practitioners in your area and it could also be worthwhile contacting your local or national ophthalmic association for their list of current member eye surgeons.

  Care Levels and Style

Once you have looked at the full range of possibilities  you then need to narrow down your choice to suit your own requirements by looking at particular clinics and practices and by interviewing particular surgeons.

Surgeries and practices vary in their style of treatment. Some specialise in one particular procedure such as LASIK whilst others offer a more general selection of refractive eye procedures. Some offer a variety of staffing levels to support patient care whilst others offer extensive surgeon / patient interaction. You need to decide on which style suits you and which system works for you best.

    Experience

It is important that you gain an understanding of your surgeons experience not only of the procedure that you are going to undertake but also of the equipment to be used and their success rate with patients being corrected for similar conditions as yourself.

Your surgeons answers to these expectations should be to meet or exceed benchmark standards and outcomes.
 

    Checklist of Criteria to Evaluate

Apart from the surgeons experience you should look into the following before embarking on surgery:

Training and education;
Certifications - board certifications as well as manufacturer certifications on lasers and microkeratomes;
Professional memberships and important offices held;
Training and teaching activities;
Research and writing activities;
Awards;
Reputation;
The equipment the surgeon uses.

Although your choice of surgeon should not be made based on any single one of the above criteria a broad evaluation of your surgeon standing based on all of the above will help you make a good choice.