Questions for your Lasik Eye Surgeon

Important Questions To Ask Your Eye Surgeon (continued)

To undergo Lasik eye surgery, or similar ophtalmic eye operations that use laser or refractive surgery is an important change to the eye. Just as you would not allow an unqualified back yard mechanic to fine tune a Ferrari, you should make sure that your eye surgeon is qualified and knows what he is doing. It's especially important that the surgeon has the necessary experience and that the eye surgeon operates regularly. It's not so important if the system used is Lasik, Lasek, Epi-Lasik or PRK. Althouhg it's important that the clinic uses modern equipment, the surgeon is much more important!

Thus it's a good idea to ask your prospective surgeon some questions about the procedures that will be employed, about his qualifications and operations, as well as about the surgeon's person. Naturally, you will need to ask for proof of his statements, and you might want to ask third parties as well. Use your normal everyday common sense, don't be gullible and you will most likely find a qualified and trustworthy eye surgeon.

If you know that you need special exams, that a particular surgeon can not provide, either go to an other clinic alltogether, or insist, that the examination take place in an other clinic / facility. Don't skip a necessary test or examination before undergoing lasik surgery!

A good place to get detailed information about Lasik is the official governement site: http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/lasik/.

Back to part 1 of the questions for your Eye Surgeon

Important Questions To Ask Your Eye Surgeon Part 2

Outcome Of Lasik Eye Surgery

Nobody is perfect, and mistakes can happen. That's why you sign a paper before your lasik operation confirming that you've been told about all the risks involved. It's still a good idea to ask your eye surgeon about malpractice claims against him with a claim of more than $25'000. Ask him for details if the answer is yes.

99,5% of the operations end up in success and not in court. That means certainly not more than one operation out of 500 should result in a claim, and if your surgeon had more than four to five in the last five years, be careful. Also if there were malpractice cases in the past, ask for details and especially ask how they were resolved (if ever...). Consider if you would want to deal on the patients state if you were the person concerned, and how you would feel about the way the case was handled.

Lasik eye surgery is different from performing laser operations on a piece of metal. Metal is firm and does not live, your eye does. It's therefore not allways 100% predictable what the outcome of the operation is, enhancement surgery can be necessary to add small corrections after the first procedure. Ask your eye surgeon what percentage of his patients needed enhacement surgery. Also ask him to explain to you what his enhancement policy is.

A good value for a surgeon's outcome statistics is less than 10% enhacement surgery. Even more important is, why these enhancement operations were necessary. A good surgeon will take the effect of regression or accomodation into account when planing the operation and slightly overcorrect to allow for these effects. The eye has a tendency to regress back to the former shape during the healing process in the first few weeks or months. That is where the experience of your eye surgeon plays a large role and will result in relatively fewer enhancement operations.

What if everything that can go wrong really goes wrong? Ask your eye surgeon what his own worst outcome case was and how he handled it. Every surgeon with a large surgical experience has had a poor outcome. The importance is that he knows how to handle it. He should also be willing to work together with other ophthalmologists who have complimentary expertise to resolve possible problems. Caution: Switch on the red lights and leave if your surgeon does not admit having had a problem case ever.....

Also, ask if enhancement surgery is required in your case, who will pay for the operation and what will the cost be, if you are the one to pay for the additional care? It's usual and common practice that there is no charge for an enhancement within about a year after surgery.

An other important question to ask, is who will pay for multiple corrective lenses if you experience fluctuation in your vision during the healing process. Some eye surgeons provide the lenses, others will ask you to pay for them. Add the cost to your budget and consider this as a part of the cost of the surgery.

Ask for the written informed consent form that you will need to sign. Make sure, that you can study it and have time to think about it, at least for a week before your surgery is scheduled. You need to read and understand every part of this document. Be aware that this form is not just a legal formality, but an explanation of what can happen.

Type Of Laser Used For Lasik Surgery

There are different lasers that can be used in lasik eye surgery. The specialist will decide which laser is best for you.

The Excimer Laser was originally only used in the microprocessor industry and later adapted to be used in eye surgery as well. With each pulse this his 'cool' laser removes only 1/4000 millimeter of tissue from the surface by breaking intra molecular bonds in collagen molecules It's possible to work very precisely that way. If one was to cut a human hair in half, the eximer laser would need to emit about 200 pulses until the job was finished.

The Variable Spot Excimer Laser distributes it's energy in spots of different sizes and directs the laser beam to different areas, whilst a Flying Spot Eximer Laser concetrates it's energy on small spots but changes the direction of the laser beam constantly, 'flying' over the area to be treated. A conventional Eximer Laser in contrast uses a broad beam approach and directs the energa on the entire surface to be treated.

Each of these Laser types have their advantages, and the eye surgeon will decide which one is best for you and why. You may want to ask that he explains to you why he thinks that a particular laser is better than an other one in your case. Remember: Make sure the eye surgeon has plenty of experience with the system he finally chooses! (That's the '100' in our formula)

Integrity And Professional Record Of Your Eye Surgeon

These questions deal with the personal and professional record of your eye surgeon, and might sound like a bit much to ask. But you put your eyes in the hands of this professional, so you do have the right to ask. An eye surgeon who has nothing to hide will not mind you asking.

The following questions should all be answered with a straigh 'no'

• Have your hospital or surgical facility privileges ever been revoked?
• Did any insurance company ever deny to provide you malpractice insurance coverage?
• Has your license to perform refractive surgery ever been revoked, suspended, or otherwise restricted? Are you on license probation or under investigation by the agency that provides this license?
• Has your Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) certification ever been revoked, suspended, or restricted?
• Have you ever been convicted of a felony?
• Have you ever been arrested for being under the influence of, or in the possession of, drugs or any other controlled substance?
• Have you ever been treated for substance abuse or mental illness as an adult?
• Have your ever been refused participation as a provider in a health insurance plan?

If any of these questions are answered with yes, follow up and ask for details. A small problem with a license due to an advertising campaign way back, or a drug problem from well over 10 years ago or more, dating back to the student time might not weigh that much. If the problems are current, look for an other surgeon.

Forward to part 3 of the questions for your Eye Surgeon