f you want to undergo a surgical procedure because of a certain condition, you would definitely want to be handled by the best specialist you can find. The same can be said about LASIK eye surgery. Hunting for the most reputable LASIK doctor to do the treatment is an important criterion. There’s a lot at stake when a part of your body is involved, especially your eyes. Suffering from an optical mishap because of an incompetent doctor can be downright tragic.
So how do you pick out the preeminent LASIK surgeon from the rest of the scrubs? The first thing to remember, and this is quite obvious, is you keep your guard up against sales pitches. Most of the LASIK advertisements function mainly as a hook trying to bait your money (and eventually your eye health). But they don’t tell you much about the qualifications of the LASIK doctor performing this method. Carelessness should never be your mindset.
One of the primary things to do is to go to ask for information from a professional organization. The American College of Surgeons has already made your life easier in this regard, as they possess a list of surgeons who have passed their strict credential requirements. This list also includes LASIK doctors, so it will do you good to inquire with them about things like the surgeon’s background. For those who prefer a non-personal approach, you can go to The American Academy of Ophthalmology’s website and utilize their LASIK M.D. search feature. To acquire a guide as to what questions you should ask a LASIK doctor to test their credibility, you can print out a list from the Council of Refractive Surgery and bring it with you to present to them.
Speaking of interviewing purposes, here’s a quick look at the most important points you should ask. Knowing how experienced the LASIK doctor is will be vital to your confidence in them, so find out the number of times they have done the same procedure you plan on undergoing. But getting the total is not enough. You should also follow it up by asking the percentage of patients who have had successful operations with them, specifically those who have achieved a vision improvement of at least 20/40. Be wary though; 90 percent may seem like a high number, but it is actually the industry average. Plus, the patients who have gained 20/20 vision after LASIK averages about 50 percent. Keeping this in mind, if the specialist claims to have a higher percentage than those, they should have no problem presenting you with evidence of such a declaration.
To be on the safe side, it’s also a good idea to ask for patient references with the same defect as yours, whom have undergone similar surgery. It wouldn’t hurt to sift through their malpractice insurance and medical license history as well. Do not pull punches, if you are hesitant due to a fear of rejection, don’t be. If they are as competent as they say they are, they will have no problem answering anything you throw at them. Let them know that you’ve done your homework and they’ll treat you with respect that you deserve. It’s your sight that’s on the line here, and their level of commitment should meet your expectations.