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Factors To Consider When Choosing A LASIK Surgeon |
By Art Gib
 So you've finally decided to have that LASIK eye surgery you've wanted to get for years. Good for you! Making the decision probably wasn't an easy one, but now comes the really hard part of the process: choosing your surgeon. With all those great and not so great doctors available out there, it's difficult to know who may be the right one for you. Here are some suggestions of factors which may help you with your choice.
-- Training and qualifications: Where did a doctor go to school and what kind of training did he receive? Is he qualified to perform this type of eye surgery in the first place? Can he provide proof that he has been trained in all the latest procedures? LASIK has been performed in this country since 1990 and a lot has changed and been perfected in the nearly 20 years since its introduction. Make sure that the surgeon you choose is up to date in his methodology.
-- Experience: How many LASIK surgeries has this surgeon actually performed? All the training in the world cannot compensate for
the experience that doing the surgery provides. Is LASIK this doctor's specialty? Someone who has done multiple procedures over a number of years will be less likely to make mistakes that may lead to future complications. You want your eyes to literally be in good hands.
-- Maintenance of Equipment: when you go in for a consultation, ask to check out the surgeon's equipment. Does it look like it's in good condition and well maintained? Or does it look dated and neglected? Similarly, you want your doctor's office to be clean and sterile. LASIK is an outpatient in-office procedure, so the office setting will literally be your "operating room." If it does not meet your standards of cleanliness, go elsewhere. Period.
-- Trustworthiness: No matter how well recommended a prospective surgeon may be, that fact will mean nothing if the two of you have a basic personality conflict. It does happen that two perfectly nice people may not get along for whatever reason. If you go in for a consult and the doctor rubs you wrong, there are plenty of other wonderful doctors from which to choose. You have to be able to trust and like the surgeon responsible for your eyesight in order to have the confidence you need when you go in for the procedure.
-- Success rate and testimonials: Ask to see references and testimonials from previous patients. You have every right to see if a prospective surgeon has a good reputation and success rate. The best way to know this is to find out from patients themselves. Did they have problems, and if so, were they resolved to their satisfaction? Did they have a good overall experience? Would they recommend this surgeon to their own families and friends?
Choosing a surgeon to handle your eyesight is an important decision indeed. Take care to ask the right questions and consider all of the above factors and any others that are important to you before taking the plunge.
Find out what happy patients have to say! If you live in the Utah area and want to learn more about quality Salt Lake City lasik surgery, contact the professionals at Davis Vision MD (http://www.davisvisionmd.com/testimonials/). Art Gib is a freelance writer.
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