LASIK Surgeon Portland

Your LASIK surgeon should be board-certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology, which requires rigorous training, examinations, and ongoing education. This certification confirms that your surgeon has completed medical school, a residency in ophthalmology, and has demonstrated expertise in eye care and surgery. Beyond basic certification, look for surgeons who have completed fellowships in corneal and refractive surgery, which represents additional years of specialized training specifically in procedures like LASIK.

In Portland, several ophthalmologists perform LASIK, but not all have the same level of specialized training. A corneal specialist brings deeper expertise in the delicate structures that LASIK reshapes, which can be particularly important if you have thin corneas, high prescriptions, or other complicating factors.

Evaluate Surgical Experience and Volume

A surgeon should have performed at least several thousand LASIK procedures before you consider them for your surgery. Experience directly correlates with better outcomes, fewer complications, and the ability to handle unexpected situations during surgery. Ask any prospective surgeon how many LASIK procedures they've performed and how many they currently perform each year.

High-volume surgeons maintain their skills through consistent practice and stay current with evolving techniques. They've encountered a wide range of eye anatomies and prescription levels, giving them the pattern recognition needed to optimize your specific treatment. A surgeon who performs LASIK regularly is simply more proficient than one who does it occasionally.

What Technology Will You Use for My Procedure

The laser platform and diagnostic equipment your surgeon uses directly impact your treatment quality and safety. Ask specifically whether the practice uses all-laser LASIK with a femtosecond laser for flap creation, and which excimer laser system will reshape your cornea. Modern practices should offer wavefront-guided or topography-guided treatments that customize your correction based on detailed mapping of your eye's unique characteristics.

Surgeons using older technology may charge less, but this is not where you want to cut corners. Advanced laser systems provide better precision, faster healing, and superior visual outcomes compared to previous-generation equipment.