How to find the right LASIK surgeon

When it comes to finding a surgeon to perform LASIK, there are crucial criteria you should consider when making your final choice. Here are some factors to consider as you make your decision on who will perform your LASIK surgery.

Experienced

Experience matters. Research shows that complications are more likely to happen when these procedures are left in the hands of inexperienced doctors.

How much experience is enough, you may wonder? The more experience your surgeon has, the better. The most experienced LASIK surgeons will have performed more than 10,000 of these procedures, and sometimes upwards of 25,000.

Board-certified

The ophthalmologist you choose should be licensed to practice in your state and board-certified. (To check your doctor's board certification status, click on the Verify a Physician link on the American Board of Ophthalmology's website: www.abop.org.)

Honest

Honesty is another important asset when you are considering eye doctors. Any surgeon who promises you 20/20 vision is not being straightforward with you. While most people do have better vision afterward, there are no guarantees in LASIK surgery.

Thorough

Make sure the doctor gives you a full evaluation before your procedure. Up to 20% of people are not good candidates for this procedure. Having LASIK when you do not meet the qualifications could put you at greater risk for complications.

As with any medical procedure, you should try to talk with more than one potential surgeon. Make sure you are comfortable with the doctor you choose, and that you don't see any red flags. Some states make public the malpractice records and disciplinary status of physicians. Ideally, the ophthalmologist you choose should be a member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, which has a code of ethics.

Here are a few warning signs to watch out for when you are considering LASIK surgeons:

• The surgeon performs only a couple of LASIK procedures a month.
• The surgeon makes lofty promises, such as "20/20 vision or your money back," or glosses over the risks.
• The surgeon is unwilling to answer your questions, or refuse to share their success and complication rates.
• The surgeon will not give you a thorough evaluation to see if you qualify for the surgery.
• You feel pressured to make a quick decision.
• The price is so low that it seems suspicious.

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