If you are reading this article then you already know the importance of
choosing a competent surgeon to carry out a delicate procedure like corrective
eye surgery, the results of which you will have to live with for the rest of
your life. The popularity and increased availability of laser eye surgery
has meant that there is now a dizzying array of centers and surgeons around to
perform your surgery. While all the competition means that prices are
lower than they were ten years ago, all the advertising and hype can make it
difficult for you to decide where to go to have your surgery.
So how can you be sure that the person you choose to perform eye surgery on
you is going to do a good job and not leave you worse off?
The best thing you can do is: Do Your Homework!
What does that involve?
– Don’t just choose a surgeon based on cost. As tempting as it may
be to go with the lowest eye surgery quote or the first one that you get, you
need to shop around and be confident that you have made the right decision, a
decision you will have to live with for many years to come.
– Be
cautious of gimmicky advertising. As any ethical doctor will tell you,
medicine is an imprecise science and there is no way that an outcome can be
guaranteed so steer well clear of eye centers advertising ’20/20 vision or your
money back’ or ‘package deals’ or any kind of advertising which sounds too good
to be true.
– Read as widely as you can. Seek
out websites that have information on lasik eye surgery and other types of
corrective eye surgery and study the information material provided by your
surgeon, including the patient handbook provided by the manufacturer of the
device that will be used to perform your procedure.
– Find out why type of surgery will best suit you – research for
yourself what type of surgery is likely to be of most benefit to you so that
when you sit down with a doctor you will be able to gauge their level of
interest in your wellbeing versus the likely financial gain for them by the
suggestions they make. However, if you visit with several doctors and they
are all recommending the same procedure even though it is more expensive than
you had thought your situation warranted then you will need to take their advice
on board. But if one doctor out of four suggests you have a higher priced
operation than you think you need then you will know that they are probably not
the right doctor for you.
– Research the types of laser devices suited
to perform your surgery as well as doctors experienced in the procedure.
There is a range of laser devices available on the market and the results you
can expect vary from one device to another. Surgeons often tend to
specialise in a particular type of eye surgery so ask them how much experience
they have in performing the particular procedure you require.
– Trust your instincts. If everything lines up but you just have
a feeling that your chosen doctor is not right for you then listen to your
instincts and find someone else.
– Once you find a doctor that
you are happy with, be sure to raise any concerns that you may have and make
sure that they are able to answer to your satisfaction. If you feel that
they hedge around a question or aren’t being completely straight with you then
question them further or find someone else who is prepared to deal with you
honestly. Your surgeon should be willing to discuss their previous results
with you, and in particular how their results compare to those outlined in the
device manufacturers handbook.
As is stated above there are no guarantees when it comes to medical
procedures. But that doesn’t mean that you should just select the cheapest
doctor or the one that has offices nearest to you. Your vision is
important and so too is your choice of surgeon. Do your homework and
choose wisely.
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