20 Questions For Your LASIK Surgeon

LASIK eye surgery is a sight corrective operation for nearsightedness, farsightedness and for astigmatism or blurred vision. The surgeon however does not have to use a scalpel as with other operation but is aided by a laser emitting machine specifically manufactured for this purpose. Its discovery was a major advancement for eye health as it can make very precise cuts and correction with little damage to the delicate tissue of the eye. There are however side-effects as with all operations.

Before opting for LASIK eye surgery, you should sit down with your surgeon(s), ask questions and be comfortable with the answers.

Here are 20 questions you should ask, and some answers you should expect. It is advisable to change surgeons if you feel that your question have not been answered satisfactorily.

1... How long is your experience with LASIK surgery? (Three years is a good period). 2... What is the total number of Lasik operations that you have performed? (A minimum of 500). 3... In the last 12 months, how many have you performed? (A minimum of 250). 4... Of the successful operations in the past 12 months how many were performed with this laser machine? (Should be a minimum of 100). 5... Do my occupation, leisure activities, and hobbies affect my suitability for LASIK eye surgery? (Absolutely. Many sports do not favour the wearing of glasses so LASIK eye surgery makes sense.). 6... How many patients for whom this procedure was unsuitable have you declined? (Answer should never be "none". Not everyone can have LASIK eye surgery. Issues like dry eyes, glaucoma and poor general health can affect the suitability for LASIK). 7... What percentage of your clients get Snellen UCVA scores of 20/40 or better after this surgery? (90% is not out of the norm). 8... What percentage of your clients get Snellen UCVA scores of 20/20 or better after this surgery? (50% can be expected). 9... Six months after LASIK surgery, what percentage of your clients suffer unresolved complications? (Should be less than 3%). 10... Have you ever failed to get malpractice insurance coverage? (Should be "never"). 11... Have you ever had your hospital privileges removed? (Should be "no"). 12... Has the machine you will use for this operation been inspected and approved by the FDA? (If the answer is no, the surgeon should convince you as to the reasons for the off-label use). 13... What tests will you perform before and after the surgery and will they include a measure of the thickness of my cornea, a contrast sensitivity test, a glare sensitivity test and corneal topography? (Should be "yes," but if "no", then surgeons should provide you to be tested elsewhere at your own expense). 14... What about tear volume (Schirmer) and tear break-up (TBUT), are they necessary before acceptance for LASIK eye surgery? (Should be yes. These reveal whether you have unusually dry eyes, and should not have LASIK eye surgery. This kind of surgery leads to dry eyes during and sometimes after the healing period, so if you already have dry eyes, it will not only be worsened but more uncomfortable). 15... By what regulating bodies are your qualifications recognised? (Your surgeon should be recognised by the American Board of Ophthalmology, American Board of Eye Surgery, and/or the Council for Refractive Surgery Quality Assurance). 16... Do you have any doubts as to my having a good result from LASIK eye surgery? (If you or the surgeons have doubts about achieving what you consider to be a successful result, don't have the surgery). 17... Have you ever had any bad LASIK eye surgery result with your patients? What did you do to solve the problem? (Should be fully open and honest about it, if the answer you get is none then you are better off looking for another surgeon since no one is perfect). 18... What is the extra cost of an enhancement surgery, if I ever need it? (Ideally there should be no charge up to a year after your surgery). 19... If other surgeons will be handling my pre- and/or postoperative care, may I see you at any time without their authorization? (Should be yes). 20... How is the healing process like, what is normal during this time and how long does it take on average? (Answer should include explanations of side effects that may occur). If at the end you feel that your surgeons have answered your questions clearly and truthfully, you can have LASIK surgery with confidence knowing that you have made an informed decision. If for any reason you feel that they uncomfortable answering the questions, or seems too hurried to explain, you are well advised to look elsewhere. Your vision is too important to risk.

Lasik