Questions to Ask When Meeting a LASIK Surgeon
Make an Informed Choice for Your LASIK Surgery Provider
While LASIK surgery is very common and safe, it is still a big deal for most people to undergo any medical procedure. We encourage you to take your time when choosing a LASIK provider to perform your procedure. These are just a few questions you can ask during your initial consultation to help you make an informed decision and feel confident in your choice.
Do you ever advise a patient against LASIK surgery?
If a LASIK surgeon indicates a willingness to perform the procedure on any person interested, consider it a red flag. There are many valid reasons why a LASIK surgeon would ultimately advise a patient not to undergo LASIK, including a combination of the patient’s age, eye health, existing eye conditions, or other medical issues. For those reasons, a well-established and reputable surgeon will let a prospective patient know when they are not a strong candidate for LASIK and will instead work with them to find another vision correction solution.
How many surgeries have you performed in your career?
How many surgeries do you perform each week?
Look for an experienced LASIK surgeon who has performed upward of 10,000 surgeries in his or her career. Also, be mindful of how recent the surgeon has performed the surgery. If a surgeon does not perform LASIK regularly, his or her skills and procedures may not be up to date. It is so important to choose a surgeon who is on top of all the latest LASIK technology and using the most advanced techniques and equipment available.
What are the risks and limitations of LASIK?
A quality LASIK provider will be very transparent and upfront about both the benefits and potential risks of undergoing LASIK surgery. He or she should also clearly explain what LASIK cannot do, such as prevent presbyopia and the need for reading glasses later in life. Make a note of whether your LASIK surgeon relays all of this information to you.
After you speak to your potential provider, it is time to ask yourself some additional questions:
- Were you greeted at the center by friendly staff members?
- Did you feel at ease and comfortable with the surgeon?
- Did the surgeon take his or her time during the consultation, or did you feel rushed?
- Were your questions answered in detail and in terms you could understand?
- Was the consultation educational and tailored to your questions?
If at any time you did not feel at ease or confident that your questions were being answered thoroughly, it may be a good idea to visit another LASIK provider. At LVC, we take pride in our friendly and caring staff and want to serve as a resource to all prospective and current patients. During every consultation, we take our time to answer your questions in detail and fully inform you of the risks, benefits, and limitations of LASIK surgery. We want you to feel comfortable and confident in your decision to choose LVC for your LASIK surgery.
