I've had LASIK, these are questions
you might ask in selecting a Doctor…

I know so much more now than when I had my mild nearsightedness corrected with the "monovision" option 1.5 years ago. Here is a list of questions (in no particular order) that I'd ask if I were starting my research into getting LASIK surgery today.

Is the initial consultation free?

Some of the Doctors charge a fee to schedule the initial eye exam and appointment. They do this to reduce the number of "no show" appointments.

If there is a fee, is it applied to your surgery?

This answer is usually "Yes."

If you make your appointment but decide not to choose their practice for your surgery, will they refund the appointment deposit?

How good of a negotiator are you?

How long before the initial consultation should I have my contact lenses out?

Depending on whether you are:

Nearsighted or Farsighted
Wear hard or soft lenses
Sleep with your lenses in or not

Your eyes need some time to return to their natural shape as the contact lens reshapes your eye just enough to cause the measurements that your Ophthalmologist takes to be inaccurate.

How long before surgery should I have my contact lenses out?

In my questioning of various LASIK surgeons, I have found an incredibly wide range: from 48 hours to 10 days. If you have glasses, then regardless of the time, you should not have a problem. Knowing the time requirements before you go in for your initial appointment will help you gauge when you can actually have the LASIK surgery performed.

How much is the surgery?

Hold on, this is not such an obvious question. If you are going to have the Doctor with the cheapest price perform surgery on you, they almost always mention that the lowest price applies ONLY if you do not have any astigmatism. ALL EYES have at least SOME astigmatism. I would ask the discount LASIK guys what level of astigmatism besides 0 qualifies you for the cheapest price. For the most part, this is a misleading price offer. Now, I'm not saying NEVER - but to most of us, they will charge the higher price because there is almost always some astigmatism. See if they will release a number as to what level gets you the cheaper price.

Does this include "enhancements?"

If after 3-6 months your vision needs some tweaking, the LASIK procedure can be redone to further enhance your sight. For me personally, I need an enhancement. Sometimes there is a machine charge or a facility charge if your LASIK doctor does not actually own the laser. Also, you should ask if there is a time limitation on when you can get an enhancement under the original agreement. Better to find out upfront than later.

What is the LASIK doctor's Enhancement Percentage?

One of the best measures to judge a good LASIK Surgeon is their Enhancement Percentage - out of 100 surgeries, how many patients need to go back for an enhancement? After they tell you, you can always ask,

"Is there anyway I can confirm those numbers?"

While there really isn't a public way to confirm their claim, you can judge by the tone of their voice whether they have been honest with you or not.

How many surgeries has the LASIK surgeon performed?

While a doctor who has performed 2000 LASIK procedures is not necessarily twice as skilled as the doctor that has only done 1000 surgeries, significant experience is good. Here too, I think it is very difficult to verify how many laser eye surgeries a doctor has performed. I might make note of what the LASIK Coordinator tells you on the phone and compare that number to what the Doctor says in person when you go in for an initial consultation.

Where did the Doctor get his degree in Ophthalmology?

While it is not true that a Doctor graduating from a "famous" school is automatically better that one that did not, knowing what University your LASIK surgeon attended may be useful.

What type of Laser does the Doctor use?

I like asking this question because it requires the person to at least know what machine is used. A Patient Representative or LASIK Coordinator at a Doctor's office that knows what laser is used is to me, someone that I put a greater trust in (regarding the other information they provide) than someone that does not know. As for which machine is better, if the FDA approves it for use then it has already met a host of criteria. This shifts the expertise and ultimate outcome of the surgery into your Doctor's hands.

Does the Doctor perform the laser surgery onsite or at an offsite location?

The answer to this question is double-sided. An Ophthalmologic practice that owns their own laser machine ($500,000) is serious about making LASIK a significant part of their eye care services. A LASIK surgeon that uses an outside facility may, and I emphasize may, only do LASIK part time.

The flip side is that by "renting" the use of a facility and a Laser machine, the Doctor is not financially pressured to continue using "old" technology in which they have invested hundreds of thousands of dollars. Also, practices that do not own a laser have the freedom to use the one that is right for the patient. While some Ophthalmologic practices buy multiple laser machines to stay current with changing technology, I especially like this question when taken in context with the other questions/answers to provide a more expanded view of the practice, the Doctor, and where LASIK fits into their everyday operation.

Can you tell me about needing reading glasses after receiving LASIK?

While my inner soul has a problem accepting that ALL people in their 40's will experience presbyopia, (it is a natural part of the aging process of the eye which makes it difficult to focus on close objects) this process is responsible for the need for reading glasses. It is not a disease, it cannot be prevented, and laser eye surgery cannot improve presbyopia.

When you ask this question, a good LASIK Coordinator will bring up something called monovision. If monovision is not mentioned, ask about it.

What is monovision?

If you have both of your eyes corrected for distance viewing presbyopia will require you to get reading glasses at some point in the future. (Since I was/am nearsighted, I am only talking about nearsighted monovision correction. I'll add a section later on monovision and farsightedness.) If you want to delay this seemingly inevitable situation you can opt for a LASIK surgery procedure that leaves one eye for distance and one eye for close up vision. This is called monovision. This procedure postpones the need for reading glasses by allowing one eye to handle the up-close vision duties for awhile.

I had monovision LASIK surgery. The one thing that was not offered to me was a chance to "test" to see if I was comfortable with this treatment. Once again, a good LASIK Coordinator should discuss temporarily wearing monovision contact lens for a few days - turning your vision into monovision - BEFORE you decide whether you want it permanently. I am happy with my monovision, but what if I wasn't comfortable using one eye for distance and one eye for near vision?

Can I read some testimonials from patients (or talk with some patients) that chose the monovision procedure?

Besides selecting a laser eye surgeon to do your LASIK procedure, the only other decision you really have to make is whether or not to undergo a monovision correction. Talking with patients or reading monovision testimonials, if you are considering this procedure, is a must.

With this list of questions you are well on your way to making an informed LASIK decision. Good Luck and thanks for using our site.

D.R. Peck
CEO
www.lasersurgeryforeyes.com

For more information related to this article, visit AllAboutVision.com.

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I've had LASIK, these are questions you might ask in selecting a Doctor…

I've had LASIK, these are questions
you might ask in selecting a Doctor…