How to Choose a LASIK Surgeon

Making the choice to have LASIK vision correction surgery is an exciting and life-changing one. Once you’ve committed to researching your candidacy for LASIK, the next and most important decision you’ll make is who’ll perform your procedure. Take into account the following factors to ensure you select the perfect surgeon for you.

Surgeon’s reputation. Ask co-workers, friends and family who’ve had LASIK who they went to and what their experiences were like. Did they feel at ease with the staff, were the facilities neat, clean and comfortable and most importantly, are they happy with their results? The surgeon should be willing to share email addresses or phone numbers of past patients so that you can discuss their experiences as well.

Surgeon’s experience. Some circles of experts say that a surgeon should perform at least five hundred procedures before being considered “experienced”. Others say that number should be greater than one thousand. More important than how well the majority of the surgeon’s procedures go is how well he can handle complications. Is he a corneal specialist who can repair the cornea should something go wrong, however small that possibility may be?

Surgeon’s results. Ask the surgeon what percentage of his patients see 20/20 or better after LASIK. Recent FDA trials for one laser manufacturer’s custom LASIK results show that 100% of participants could pass a driver’s test after LASIK and 98% could see 20/20 or better. These are not the complete results of the trials and your surgeon’s results may differ.

Surgeon’s participation. Make sure the ophthalmologist you choose participates in every part of the process. It's important that she both performs the pre-operative tests and reviews them with you, to make sure you're both on the same page as regards expected outcome. Before the day of your procedure, she should discuss with you all of the risks and possible complications as well as the benefits of the procedure. She should also perform the follow up exams after your procedure to ensure that you are healing properly.

Surgeon’s qualifications. Some surgeons are theoretical experts in LASIK but have little hands-on experience. Others work in centers which process thousands of LASIK patients every year, but offer little else but traditional LASIK. They tend to screen candidates carelessley in the interests of profit. It's best to choose a surgeon who has done over 500, or over 1000, LASIK procedures, and therefore has good hands-on experience, but who also offers variations of LASIK. If you are not a good candidate for traditional LASIK, such a surgeon would know, and could offer a variant procedure to better match your eye conditions. Vision correction surgery is not one-size-fits-all.

Surgeon’s enhancement rate. Before you commit to one surgeon, you need to discuss his enhancement rate. This means the number of eyes that need to be re-treated to reach optimal vision. Experts in ophthalmology say that the percentage of enhancements should be less than 10%.

Surgeon’s personality. Last, but not least, is the surgeon’s personality. Do you feel comfortable with the surgeon? Can you discuss your questions and concerns with him open and honestly? If not, it’s best to keep looking until you find the right fit for both your eyes and your own personality .

Less important factors . There are also a few factors that should not be major considerations when choosing a LASIK surgeon.

Price. Trying to save money when it comes to your vision is not a good idea. There are a lot of centers that promise a low fee but very few people qualify for those low, low prices. Rather than asking about price, ask your center or practice if they offer third-party financing that can make the procedure affordable through low monthly payments. Some even offer no interest/no payments for 12-18 months.
Advertising. Advertising on TV, radio, newspaper or other media puts LASIK into the forefront of the public’s mind. Be sure to do your research and don’t rely solely on advertising messages to reach a determination on your LASIK surgeon.
Technology. There’s a big push by some surgeons, especially those who advertise, to emphasize the latest and greatest in LASIK technology. While it’s important that your surgeon uses an FDA-approved laser and has the best equipment to treat your specific condition, it shouldn’t be the determining factor. Great technology in the hands of a so-so surgeon will not produce great results.
Deciding to have LASIK is a big decision that takes careful consideration. While there are many, many factors to consider, choosing the right surgeon is the most important one you’ll make.