How to Choose LASIK centre and LASIK Surgeon?

• Long Term LASIK Fellowship Training – Laser vision corrections are performed on seemingly normal eyes with only vision disorders correctable with glasses. Your eyes are special and only a well ‘trained’ eye surgeon should perform LASIK on them for safe and accurate outcomes in the first attempt itself. It is very important that your surgeon has spend at least 1 to 2 years in internationally reputed centers getting certified fellowship training for LASIK and Relex SMILE. Ask your doctor for his training credentials before you take a dive.


• Board certification in ‘Cornea’ Fellowship. Ask if your surgeon is board certified beyond having a basic license to practice ophthalmology. LASIK is done on front portion of eye, known as ‘Cornea’. Only a certified corneal surgeon with credentials of LASIK fellowship will be able to deliver the best outcomes in most safe manner. They are also specialized to take care of post LASIK issues in most efficient way.


• Scientific Credentials and repute – Your LASIK surgeon should be practicing evidence based medicine and being updated about all latest advancements of LASIK, Relex SMILE and beyond. A surgeon-with-credentials of international-level-research work in LASIK and publications in reputed journal are additional brownie points and would tops the list. Your surgeon should be good enough to be invited nationally and internationally to teach LASIK and Relex SMILE to fellow colleagues, which speaks a lot about his own expertise on the subject.


• Experience – The centre and it’s surgeons should be a relatively good volume centre with experience of 10 to 15 years with good reputation. The surgeon should have good volume practice and deal with various power correction ranges to give you best outcomes. A surgeon with experience of at-least 10,000 LASIK surgeries is preferable.


• Versatile Surgeon - In addition to the above concerns, you also need to consider the surgeon's versatility and competency in a variety of refractive procedures. LASIK isn't the only game in town, and it isn't the best procedure for every person. Choose a surgeon who is comfortable and experienced with several procedures — such as LASIK, Femto LASIK, Relex SMILE,PRK, EpiLASIK, LASEK and clear lens replacement (refractive lens exchange) — and the latest technology. If your doctor displays a thorough understanding of these different procedures, he or she can confidently choose the one that will be best to correct your particular vision problems


• Technology – The technologies available are as important as the surgeon himself. Currently the centre should be equipped with both excimer laser as well as femtosecond laser to offer LASIK, FemtoLASIK (bladelss LASIK) and ReLex Smile laser vision corrections. The lasers should be latest, safest and most accurate to remove your power permanently. Currently Carl Zeiss VISUMAX lasers are considred the best world-wide and can also perform currently the best technique Bladeless, flapless, all laser SMILE technique.


• Infrastructure – The ambience and the facility should be world class and hygienic for a comfortable and safe treatment. Don’t choose a shady place only as it may be cheap, REMEMBER it’s your eye, help them to see the best lifelong.


• Own centre or travels to other center - It's also appropriate to ask if the surgeon performs procedures at his or her own surgical center. Surgeons in this category likely have considerable experience because they perform enough procedures to support a center of their own. If a surgeon needs to travel to an outside surgical center or share a laser, then this may be evidence that he or she performs fewer refractive surgery procedures.


• Advertisements. Many refractive surgery centers advertise in newspapers and on radio, television and the Internet. Some ads are more informative than others. Some tout extremely good pricing. But while this can be a starting point, an ad or a procedure price should not be your only criterion when choosing a doctor.


• Referrals. Ask for a referral from your regular eye care practitioner, whether an optometrist or an ophthalmologist. Tell him or her that you want the LASIK surgeon in your area with the best reputation in the profession. Also, reputable LASIK surgeons themselves can be great sources of referrals. If you know of a refractive surgeon who is well respected in another state, call his or her office and ask for recommendations regarding good surgeons in your area.