Thousands of people saying goodbye to the daily hassles of using corrective lens and are receiving laser eye surgery to liberate their eyes from glasses and contact lenses. Although the thought of freeing yourself from corrective lens has occurred to you, are you a candidate for laser eye surgery? How do you go about finding the right laser eye surgeon? Read on to find if laser eyes surgery is suitable for you and how to find the right laser eye doctor.
Am I a Candidate for Laser Eye Surgery?
To be considered a candidate for laser eye surgery you must:
- Be at least 18 years old to receive a VISX laser, or at least 21 to undergo Summit laser. Since the eyes are still developing before this age.
- Have no history or present corneal scars, retinal problems, or eye diseases.
- Have healthy eyes with minor to moderate refractive errors (e.g. nearsightedness) that can be treated
- Be able to finance the laser eye surgery, because most health insurance policies don’t cover it
- Be informed about all the risks and benefits of laser eye surgery compared to other alternative treatments
Finding the Right Doctor
If you’re looking into laser eye surgery you should make sure to:
- Compare the risks and benefits associated with each procedure, device, and surgeon. Make sure to check your laser eye surgeon’s level of experience with the type of procedure.
- Avoid picking a doctor or procedure based solely on its cost. Known the doctor you choose and the procedure you pick may affect you for the rest of your life. So do your home work and shop around.
- Be skeptical about the eye centers that offer “package deals” and “20/20 vision guarantees”. Know that with any surgical procedure, room for error is always present.
- Read all the materials. Your doctor should provide you the patient handbook listing details about the procedure and the devices used during the surgery. Your doctor should be open to you about the risks and successes associated with the procedure. Make sure you know about all the possible complications that can arise during and after the surgery.
For example during the surgery a malfunction of the device or another error can lead to irreversible damage. Similarly, after the surgery, inflammation can worsen the eye’s condition than before.
But, under the care of an experienced doctor and after being fully aware of the expectations and possible risks and complications, the best screen candidates are often happy with the results of their laser eye procedure.
