KnowLASIK

Most people who have LASIK want the best surgeon. They want the specialist who will give them the best vision with the lowest chance of complications. Generally, however, they pick their surgeon based on other factors. These factors can lead to incorrect decisions.

Poor Factors in Decision Making

1. Cost

Many people pick a LASIK surgeon based on cost. Some will pick the most expensive surgeon, assuming that a higher price equals a better surgeon. Some will pick the cheapest surgeon, assuming that all surgeons are basically the same. Both of these methods are wrong. The cheapest surgeon is almost never the best surgeon. The most expensive surgeon might possibly be the best but a higher price does not always correlate with better surgical skill. Prices are based on overhead, demand, and marketing strategies. A high price might simply mean an expensive business model. You might be paying for the expensive rent of the location, the high volume of advertising, poor business decisions, or the inflated ego of the surgeon. If you are paying for high quality equipment, well-trained staff, a skilled surgeon in high demand, or regular maintenance of the facilities, then your money is certainly well-spent.

2. Reference from a friend or family

Other people will rely upon the recommendations of friends or family. If someone suggests that a LASIK surgeon is the best, many will tend to follow that advice. Unfortunately, LASIK is extremely accurate. Even the worst surgeon will be successful a majority of the time. The problem lies in the risk that you are willing to accept. Better surgeons have fewer complications and better visual results. Your friend or family member is a very small sample to accept on their suggestion alone.

3. Celebrity Endorsements

While celebrities have money and power and you would expect them to pick the best surgeon, this is often not the case. Celebrities are paid performers. Most of them will have LASIK with any provider that is willing to pay them enough money. Celebrity endorsements are one of the worst forms of selecting a LASIK provider. Most people realize that celebrities are often poor role models. They fail to realize that this trend extends to product endorsements as well. Celebrities generally don’t choose their LASIK surgeon. A LASIK surgeon chooses the celebrity as an advertiser or an agent of the celebrity finds a LASIK surgeon that will pay the price of the endorsement.

4. Proximity

Many LASIK patients will choose the closest LASIK provider. Certainly no one wants to be too inconvenienced by a surgical procedure. The best LASIK surgeons might not be in your city, your state, or even your country. There are highly competent LASIK surgeons across the world so if price is a factor, you could actually find less costly LASIK in countries such as Singapore and Thailand. Surgical skill is not limited by geographic boundaries but certainly do the research before flying to an exotic location for LASIK surgery. Make sure that the surgeon and surgery center can provide the level of precision that you would like. Don’t be afraid to cancel the surgery if you don’t feel right about the surgeon or the surgery center.

LASIK surgeons are notoriously bad for misrepresenting the chance of success with a LASIK procedure. Some centers will outright lie about their likelihood of success. No LASIK surgeon would ever tell you that you are the first patient or the first fifty patients. LASIK center inflate their numbers in every city, state, and country. If one surgeon tells you that the success rate is 95% and another says 99%, it gives you very little indication which surgeon is actually better. A LASIK center that reports 20,000 procedures may have performed 20,000 procedures with less than average success rates. A LASIK franchise that reports 1 million procedures may not reveal that some surgeon have performed fewer than a thousand procedures.

How to Decide

1. Optometrists

Optometrists are actually great referral sources. They want happy patients. They know the LASIK surgeons in the community. They know which surgeons are skilled and which ones offer bargain prices in an attempt to perform a high volume of procedures. Make certain though that your optometrist regularly refers patients for LASIK. Optometrists should be referring at least 5 patients a month for LASIK. If they refer 5 or more patients per month, they will certainly know which LASIK provider gives the best results. Ask the optometrist for the LASIK surgeon who gives the best results as well. You want the LASIK surgeon with the lowest chances of complications and the best possible visual results. Ask for more than one name and then ask for details about the different LASIK surgeons. Why would the surgeon choose one over the other?

2. Meet more than one Surgeon

It pays to shop around. Have your eyes examined by multiple surgeons. In many cases it is best to trust your instincts. Is the surgeon interested in your eyes? Does the surgeon pay close attention to all the measurements that were taken? Can you trust the surgical staff? What equipment will be used? Do the facilities look clean and well-maintained?

Picking the LASIK provider can often be difficult and confusing. Don’t rush the decision and make certain you are at peace with your decision. LASIK can be the best choice you ever make or it can be the worst. You might look back on that day and say it was the best day of your life.

Remember that the more relaxed you are, the easier it is for the surgeon. LASIK has a very high rate of success. Millions of people would say that LASIK was one of the best decisions in their life. There are also hundreds or even thousands who would tell you that LASIK is the wrong choice. Make certain it is the right decision for you personally and spend enough time that you are comfortable with that decision.