Know What Questions to Ask When Selecting a LASIK Surgeon
Laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) is a type of refractive surgery that uses a laser to correct vision problems such as nearsightedness (myopia) farsightedness (hyperopia) and astigmatism. The laser reshapes your cornea to allow light entering the eye to bend and focus more accurately on the retina, improving your vision.
After this quick and mostly pain-free procedure, most people can say goodbye to their contacts and eyeglasses, but it’s important to find the right eye surgeon and to make sure the procedure is the best way to correct your vision problems.
At UltraVision Laser Eye Surgery and Ophthalmology, we pride ourselves on offering only the best, most comprehensive eye care solutions. And to help you make sure you’re choosing the best LASIK surgeon for you or your family, we’ve put together the following list of important questions:
You want your LASIK surgery performed by someone with a lot of experience in this specific procedure. After all, your sight is an important aspect of your overall health and well-being. It’s important to find a surgeon who has done numerous LASIK surgeries.
Not everyone is a good candidate for LASIK. If you have thin corneas or an eye disease such as glaucoma, LASIK may not be a good choice for you.
An experienced and qualified surgeon will be able to tell you whether or not you’re a good candidate and why. They should also be able to recommend other procedures or strategies to improve your vision if LASIK isn’t a good fit.
Why not speak to someone your surgeon has worked on? That person can help you feel more comfortable with your surgeon and your procedure — or not. If your doctor is reluctant to share references of past or current clients or doesn’t have any, that’s a major red flag.
LASIK surgery has been around since 1998. You want to make sure your surgeon is using the most advanced FDA-approved laser equipment available.
After an eye exam, a LASIK surgeon should be able to tell you what kind of vision improvement you can expect after your procedure. Furthermore, you should know that the results are not always permanent. Your vision may change, and you may need to go back to wearing glasses at some point in the future.
A qualified surgeon should give you a good idea of what you can expect immediately after the procedure and several years into the future. From there, you can make an educated decision on whether or not to have the surgery.
Possible side effects from LASIK surgery include dry eyes, blurry vision, inflammation, and infection. Your vision should improve shortly after the procedure, but it can take several months to heal fully. You want to have an idea beforehand of what type of follow-up care you can expect from your surgeon.
Although LASIK surgery has a very high patient satisfaction rate, and complications are rare, as with any surgery there are risks.
As mentioned above, there is a risk of side effects, the possibility of equipment malfunction, and the chance that your results won’t turn out as well as you hoped. There is also a very small possibility that your vision will be worse than before the surgery. A qualified and experienced surgeon should list all the risks, without hiding anything from you.
After you get your questions answered, ask yourself a few more things:
- Do I like this person?
- Do I trust this person?
- Do I feel comfortable with this person?
On top of the surgeon’s experience, you’ll want to make sure this is a person whom you can trust with your vision and eye health.
For more information about LASIK surgery, call UltraVision Laser Eye Surgery and Ophthalmology, with offices in San Antonio and Eagle Pass, Texas, or make an appointment online.