Lasik Surgeons

What to Ask a Lasik Surgeon

After you find a surgeon, make an appointment for a consultation. This is an important meeting. To take full advantage of it, write down every single question you can think of, and ask every single one during your visit.

The Council for Refractive Surgery Quality Assurance has a long list of questions on its website. Here are a few, with some answers the CRSQA says you should expect:

How long have you been performing refractive surgery procedures? (Not less than three years.)

How many total procedures have you done? (Not less than 500.)

How many procedures in patients with my particular refractive error or eyeglass prescription have you done? (Not less than 100.)

What percentage of your patients have achieved uncorrected visual acuity of 20/40 or better? (The CRSQA says you should be suspicious of any number that is greater than 90%.)

What percentage achieved 20/20 or better? (Not less than 50%, but be suspicious of a higher number.)

May I have a list of at least 10 previous patients I can contact?

Have you ever had malpractice insurance coverage denied?

Have you had your license to perform refractive surgery revoked, suspended or restricted?

Have you been convicted of a felony? etc.

As you can see, the CRSQA recommends asking tough questions that some may consider difficult or even rude to ask. But remember that your very precious vision depends on your surgeon's competency. You need to be confident that you've chosen the right person. If you are not happy with the answers to your questions, consult another surgeon.