Surgeons

Choosing your surgeon remains the most important factor in an optimal surgical outcome. Your decision will affect the way you see your world for the rest of your life so it's important to know your surgeon's credentials and to feel confident in his ability. While former patients' and optometrists' recommendations are a good start, the first contact with your surgeon should be during the preoperative consultation so that you can discuss your concerns directly and form your own opinion.

We have prepared a checklist of questions to help guide you in your selection. Many of these questions can be answered by viewing the website but some will require direct questioning of the surgeon.

Surgical Qualifications:

• If he is recommending laser surgery, is he a corneal specialist?
• When was the surgeon trained?
• What techniques does he use?
• Who provided the surgeon's training for the various techniques he recommends?
• How long has the surgeon performed this surgery?
• What range of correction has the surgeon treated?
• How many procedures of the recommended surgery has the surgeon personally performed?
• What percentage of patients see well without glasses or contacts following surgery?
• What percentage of patients are satisfied (this is not the same question as above!)
• What is his personal complication rate?
• What was the most serious complication he encountered?
• What was the outcome following treatment for the complication?

Relationship Skills:

• Does he explain his findings and recommendations to you in a way you can understand?
• Does he ensure you have adequate time to ask him questions about your eyes, the expected outcome, anticipated problems, etc?
• Do you feel confident in the content and manner that questions are answered?

Safety Standards & Technology:

• Does he own and control the clinic he operates in?
• Does he have the latest technology?
• How often does he use the latest technology?
• What maintenance standards assure safe and accurate readings/ operation?
• What qualifications does he demand of his support staff?
• What ongoing training and certification does he require his support staff to participate in?