How to Find the Best LASIK Surgeons

When considering getting a LASIK procedure for vision correction, you undoubtedly want to find the very best eye surgeon to ensure you experience optimal results. 

Any sort of laser eye surgery calls for the very best practitioners in a given area or region. Finding the best LASIK surgeons in your area and region is easily done via internet search and getting in touch with eye care specialists for guidance.

You might explore any or all of the following avenues:

• Consulting with your current eye care doctor
• Performing some online research
• Calling local providers for guidance 
• Asking friends and family members for referrals

How to Find the Best LASIK Surgeons

When looking for the best LASIK surgeons in your area, consider these factors:

Your Current Ophthalmologist or Eye Care Specialist

If you currently see an eye care specialist, this is the best place to begin your search for the best LASIK surgeon. When it comes down to it, ophthalmology is a niche field, and many professionals know and consult with each other, especially on the local level.

Your ophthalmologist will more than likely be able to give you some reputable options that will help you narrow down your search.

Patient Reviews

After you find a few options, it’s a good idea to take a look at their patient reviews. In many cases, eye care practices and LASIK providers will have Yelp pages or other review-type pages set up. Narrow your search down to providers and specialists who have the highest scores and the fewest negative reviews.

However, it’s important to recognize that no one is perfect. Just like with any surgical procedure, LASIK does not have a 100 percent success rate, although LASIK does have among the highest success rates of any elective surgery currently provided. There are adverse events and risks involved with LASIK you should be aware of prior to treatment. But rest assured that LASIK is widely viewed as a safe and effective procedure to correct vision.

If you find a LASIK provider you like and they have one or even a few negative reviews, take a look deeper into the review. Ask yourself if the patient had realistic expectations going into the procedure. Pay attention to how the provider handles negative reviews. 

If a provider ignores a negative review, this should be a strike against them. If a provider responds to a negative review in a reasoned manner and takes measures to rectify the situation, this is something that should be taken into consideration.

Any LASIK provider that has a number of negative reviews with no response from them should more than likely be eliminated from your list of prospects.

Consultations 

If you don’t currently see an ophthalmologist, it’s a good idea to schedule a consultation. Many LASIK providers and other eye care specialists offer free consultations. If this is the case in your area, you can theoretically consult with as many eye care specialists and LASIK providers as you wish at no cost to you.

An experienced eye care professional will take a look at your current eye condition as well your overall health in order to determine your candidacy for LASIK. They will go over the procedure in more detail with you. This is a time to discuss success rates, likelihood of adverse events, and how to prepare yourself for surgery in order to experience the best results possible.

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Good Questions to Ask a LASIK Surgeon

Your potential LASIK surgeon will certainly ask you questions in order to determine your eligibility for the procedure. You will be able to ask your prospective LASIK surgeon questions as well.

Beneficial questions to ask include the following:

• How much does LASIK cost with your office?
• Who will be performing the surgery? 
• How long does LASIK surgery take?
• What is the recovery time?
• How long have you been in practice?
• How much experience do you have with the LASIK procedure in particular?
• What are the risks associated with LASIK surgery?
• What measures can I take to get the best results during and after surgery?
• Why is your office the best choice for my surgery?
• What are your patient success rates? 
• Can I read patient reviews anywhere?

A good LASIK surgeon will make you aware of any risks associated with the procedure as well as give you an idea of what to expect before and after surgery. They should also be transparent about their own experience level and results.

How to Find a LASIK Surgeon

If you perform an online search and include your area or region, you’ll get a wide range of specialists in your area.

If you have vision insurance, contact your provider for recommendations. They may have discount plans set up with certain providers. If you use one of these surgeons, you may enjoy a certain percentage off the service price.

Once you have a LASIK surgeon in mind, you can verify the physician on the American Board of Ophthalmology website. Again, look for patient reviews online, so you can read about others’ experiences with this professional.

LASIK Specialties

Some LASIK surgeons will specialize in different aspects of the procedure and have experience utilizing different technologies, techniques, and equipment.

For instance, some LASIK surgeons can perform wavefront-guided LASIK surgery, which is an advanced kind of LASIK procedure. This method creates a 3D image of the eye and has the ability to measure how light is entering the cornea and traveling to the retina. This method is often touted as the most precise, which will improve the overall rate of success.
Although visual outcomes will vary from individual to individual, doing your research and selecting the LASIK surgeon who suits your needs will ensure the best chances of satisfaction following the surgery.

References

1. Laser In Situ Keratomileusis. (July 2022). StatPearls.

2. LASIK Surgery. (April 2020). Voices in Bioethics.

3. Outcome of a 10-Year Follow-Up of Laser in Situ Laser Keratomileusis for Myopia and Myopic Astigmatism. (December 2014). Taiwan Journal of Ophthalmology.

4. Femtosecond Laser in Situ Keratomileusis Versus Epi-LASIK: Visual Outcomes and Complications. (June 2017). Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science.

5. LASIK World Literature Review: Quality of Life and Patient Satisfaction. (April 2009). Ophthalmology.

6. Eighteen-Year Prospective Audit of LASIK Outcomes for Myopia in 53 731 Eyes. (2019). British Journal of Ophthalmology.