Lasik eye surgery, a refractive surgical procedure designed to help improve a patient’s vision, requires finding the right lasik surgeon for a successful outcome. Although there may be many Lasik doctors to choose from in your area, there are several key tips to finding the right Lasik surgeon for you. Patients can get recommendations for laser eye surgeons from family and friend referrals or from advertisements, as well as review based sites like America Top 10, but it essential to actually interview a doctor prior to deciding if his experience and credentials make him the right Lasik surgeon for you. Very often a patient’s optician or eye doctor can make a good recommendation regarding a qualified Lasik surgeon.
Any Lasik eye surgeon under consideration should be licensed by the appropriate state agency and have a considerable amount of experience successfully doing Lasik procedures. The best Lasik surgeons in addition to having a valid and current medical license will also be board certified. This means that a special medical organization such as the American Board of Ophthalmology recognizes that the surgeon has successfully undergone special training to practice in the specialty of refractive eye surgery. It is also a good idea to check to see if the surgeon under consideration is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) since the procedure being done on the eye is under the category of surgery.
Any qualified Lasik surgeon will be happy to offer a prospective candidate for Lasik surgery a consultation in his office. This is the perfect time for the patient to ask specific questions about the surgeon’s experience as well as what to expect before, during and after the Lasik surgery itself. It is important to determine the amount of experience, especially recent experience that the surgeon has had in doing this highly specialized procedure. The patient should ask the surgeon’s complication rate and what percentage of his patients enjoy 20/20 or 20/40 vision following the surgery.
Ask where the surgical procedure is done, what safety measures are in place and what the procedures are regarding follow-up care as well as any complications that might develop. Although cost is certainly a consideration when deciding upon Lasik surgery, it should not be the deciding factor when selecting the right Lasik surgeon. Lasik is a surgical procedure that requires investigation and comparison in order to find the right surgeon who has an excellent track record and is willing to work with the patient during the all-important follow-up period. Making sure the surgeon is someone you are comfortable is paramount since this person will be doing this procedure on you.
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