Choosing a Good Lasik Surgeon

Improving your vision with a Lasik procedure could be one of the greatest
gifts you could get for yourself.  However, as my mother used to say,
"Your eyes are precious."  It is important to entrust the Lasik operation
to a doctor that you trust and have confidence in.

Let's begin with three factors that should NOT be the sole reason you
select a doctor for the Lasik procedure.  The location of the office is
not particularly important, and a number of people travel long distances
to have the Lasik procedure done, for a truly professional doctor will
only need to be visited two or three times.  Also, cost or the type of
Lasik technology used should not be the sole factor. The range in surgical
skill for a Lasik operation does vary, and there is the old saying
"you get what you pay for."  Further, though the newer types of Lasik
procedures do have their benefits; many eye doctors in a large metropolitan
area often offer two or three Lasik variants.

There are several ways to determine which is the best doctor for you in
your area.  One of the qualities to look for in a good Lasik physician is
someone who can accurately assess your situation, and advise you if
Lasik is even a good choice for you and your lifestyle. 
A physician that takes the time to discuss your own physical condition and
situation with you is a good indicator that this is a Lasik physician that
you can rely on.

Look for a Lasik doctor which has a solid reputation in the area, and has
a good track record.  A physician that advertises in a magazine is not
a sufficient recommendation to put your trust in that doctor, and needs
more investigation before agreeing to have him do your Lasik procedure. 
Sometimes a Lasik center with a large advertising campaign and discounted
prices may be indicating that the quality of the surgery is not excellent,
and this could be a red flag to avoid that center.

A good Lasik doctor should be involved in the entire Lasik process. 
As mentioned above, he should take time to assess your particular case and
discuss it with you.  Not only should he do the exam, but he should also
perform most or all of the preoperative exam, and also should meet with
you personally to monitor the success of the procedure at the dates for
checkup.  There are stories from some Lasik centers of the patients never
seeing the physician again after the operation until they complained
strenuously of some particular problem.

Make sure the physician is honest in their assessment of the general Lasik
procedure, and his track record in particular.  Ask for individual examples
of patients that the physician dissuaded from having the Lasik operation,
and why.  Ask how many Lasik procedures the doctor has done in total, and
how many in the last two years. 
An experienced surgeon should have performed in the neighborhood of 1000
Lasik procedures, with at least 500 of those in the last two years.

Use these questions as a starting point to investigate the Lasik centers
in your area, and even the highly recommended ones in nearby major
metropolitan areas.  It will be time well invested, and the first step to
a clearer future.