After making the decision to have laser vision correction, the most important choice you will make is the surgeon you select to perform your procedure. The search for the right surgeon can be overwhelming if you don’t know what you’re looking for. To help guide you in the right direction, leading LASIK surgeon Raymond Stein of Bochner Eye Institute shares his thoughts on choosing a LASIK provider.
Experience
The most important qualification to look for in a LASIK surgeon is experience. You use your eyes nearly every waking second of every day, so obviously you don’t want to let just anyone operate on them. Ideally, find someone who has performed thousands or tens of thousands of procedures over the course of his or her career. This experience is a critical part of learning how to deliver the best outcomes and how to deal with complications, should they arise.
Leading-Edge Technology
The technology that your LASIK surgeon uses will affect the precision and accuracy of your surgery. It will influence how safe the surgery is and possibly how quickly you recover. The right pieces of technology will allow your surgeon to tailor the procedure to the unique features of your eye’s anatomy for better visual outcomes.
Individualized Patient Care
Since this is probably your first time undergoing laser eye surgery, you likely have questions and maybe even some concerns about the procedure. A great surgeon will understand this and take all the time needed to address your questions and help you feel comfortable with your treatment options. He or she should be forthcoming about what you can expect during and after surgery, and will never rush you to make any decisions about your care.
Ideally your LASIK surgeon should also have an excellent support staff that is professional, respectful and communicative. If the office feels disorganized or unfriendly, or if you feel like you are “just a number” to them, you are better off taking your business elsewhere.
The Bottom Line
Ultimately, it may come down to a “gut feeling” than you get when meeting a prospective provider. The right LASIK surgeon will look great on paper and earn your trust and confidence in person.
If you are interested in meeting Dr. Stein and learning about his LASIK expertise, please schedule an appointment with him today.