How to Find a Qualified LASIK Surgeon

It is vital that your vision is protected. This is why it is so important to find a skilled and experienced LASIK surgeon who will deliver the best possible LASIK procedure and minimize any risks. An experienced LASIK surgeon will not only improve the quality of your vision, but can also provide you with peace of mind that you have had the most precise and accurate surgery.

The best way to find a qualified LASIK doctor is to verify the credentials of the proposed surgeon on the American College of Surgeons or the American Academy of Ophthalmology websites. At a minimum, the surgeon must be a refractive specialist, a member AND a Fellow of American College of Surgeons, as well as a member of American Academy of Ophthalmology. A surgeon should be affiliated with an academic medical center such as a university hospital David Robinson.

You should first check for skills and a specialization in refractive surgery. Next, you need to consider experience and quality of equipment when choosing a LASIK doctor. These are the questions you should ask.

1. How long has the LASIK surgeon been performing LASIK eye surgery? Minimum three years should be required for LASIK eye surgery.

2. How many operations has the surgeon done? In the last two years, the surgeon should have performed at most 500 surgeries.

3. What number of surgeries has the surgeon done that included the type refractive procedure that will be used in your particular procedure? Minimum 100.

4. Will the surgeon perform a Wavefront diagnosis if your procedure involves higher-order aberrations before recommending LASIK? This is an important test that not all doctors have the equipment to perform. However, a doctor can refer a patient to another clinic for the test. This does not necessarily mean that they are not qualified to do the procedure.

5. How many patients had 20/40 vision following LASIK? This should be at least 90%. Any higher should be confirmed by the surgeon.

6. How many patients had 20/20 vision following LASIK? This should be at least 50%. Any increase beyond that will need to be verified by the surgeon.

7. What types of LASIK technologies can the surgeon offer? It is important to keep in mind that a LASIK doctor who is experienced with older technologies is better than one who is not. The surgeon's ability and knowledge of the technologies are more important than their technology.

8. Is the surgeon ever denied malpractice insurance? This should not be the case.

9. Is the surgeon able to perform corneal topography prior and/or after the surgery? The answer to this question should be "Yes."

10. How can I expect my vision to look immediately following LASIK surgery and two weeks later? The explanation from the surgeon should include some minor vision fluctuations, halos and starbursting.

11. What should I expect from my recovery? You should not trust a surgeon who tries to make LASIK surgery seem like a 20-minute procedure that will provide perfect vision with no complications.