Finding the Right LASIK Eye Surgeon

Finding the LASIK surgeon right for you should not be taken lightly. The procedures offered are probably not covered by your health insurance, so you are not limited to a particular doctor. LASIK is not an emergency procedure, so you have time to make an informed decision.

Don't settle for the first LASIK doctor you come across. Compare costs, capability, experience, attitude, success rates and equipment. Each surgeon has different abilities. Check his or her track record. If they claim to have 10, 000 procedures under their belt, find out if that means successful procedures. Find out if that means 10,000 people or 10,000 eyes! If your doctor rushes you or makes you feel in any way that he or she is hiding something, go see another doctor.

Feel safe. Make sure that the laser your doctor uses is one that is approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the particular procedure that is right for your eyes. If you get a hinky feeling from your doctor, his or her office, the eye center staff, or anything to do with this, then STOP. Ask more questions. Be satisfied that you are being dealt with honestly. Beware of package deals, two-for-ones, and guarantees. LASIK is a surgical procedure. Each person is different and what works for one will not work for all. There are no guarantees in surgery.

Read the literature that is available on the LASIK procedure that your doctor recommends. Each manufacturer produces a patient handbook. If your doctor does not readily provide this literature, get a second opinion. You may not be a good candidate for this surgery.There are parameters to consider when determining whether LASIK is right for you. Pupil size, thickness of the cornea, level of refractive error, age of the patient, curvature of the cornea, the patient's ability to heal, medical history and other factors should be examined. There are so many other means of correcting vision, that you should not go into this process with the idea that LASIK is your only option. Be sure that your doctor tells you what the safe parameters are and where you fall in the range for each item on the checklist.

Check your physician's reputation with the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Ophthalmology, and your state's office of medical licensure. Ask other people who have had LASIK what their experiences were like and what they've heard about your chosen LASIK surgeon. This will affect you for the rest of your life, for good or ill. Be sure. You cannot always count on someone who is selling procedures to be completely honest with you.

Be very careful with your eyes. LASIK surgery should be taken seriously. It can be a powerfully good thing, but the long-term effects of this procedure are not known. When necessary for your job, there may be little choice. There are enough people who have had terrible experiences and poor results, that care must be taken when making this decision.
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