How To Choose The Best LASIK Surgeon
When you make the choice to invest in your vision with LASIK surgery, it’s important to find a surgeon you can trust. Read on to learn all you need to know about selecting the right surgeon for your LASIK procedure.
What is LASIK?
LASIK, which stands for laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis, is a laser eye surgery that helps correct refractive errors—which are some of the most common vision problems. LASIK is a popular and relatively comfortable surgery with a quick, uncomplicated recovery. A procedure with lasting results, LASIK allows patients to experience a reduced dependency on prescription contact lenses or glasses.
Who benefits from LASIK?
A wide variety of people with vision problems can benefit from LASIK. If you seek lasting vision improvement from refractive errors, such as myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), or astigmatism, we highly recommend asking your eye care professional about LASIK. LASIK eye surgery may be the solution to correct your vision and reduce dependency on prescription eyewear.
Alternatives to LASIK
Not every person with refractive errors is a good candidate for LASIK; however, they may benefit from other surgical options. Advanced Surface Treatment (AST), also known as Advanced Surface Ablation, may be a suitable alternative procedure to correct refractive errors. During your consultation, your surgeon will be able to determine whether your vision is best suited for LASIK, AST, or another solution.
The basics of LASIK surgery
An excellent LASIK doctor, like Dr. Beran or Dr. Weber, will walk you through what to expect for your procedure during your consultation, but it is helpful to have a preliminary idea of what LASIK entails. Prior to your consultations and LASIK surgery, you will need to stop wearing contacts for a set period. This is to allow your cornea to return to its natural shape, since LASIK is a surgery performed on the cornea. Be sure to follow instructions from our Columbus Laser & Cataract Center staff about wearing contacts before your consultation and surgery.
During the surgery, your doctor will use a laser to reshape the cornea so that light refracts into the eyes correctly, leading to permanent vision improvement. The surgery is quick, as the LASIK procedure itself typically takes 30 minutes or less.
Caring for your vision after LASIK
LASIK has a swift recovery time, with most patients feeling near normal a day or two after surgery. Still, it is crucial to follow recovery instructions from your surgeon after undergoing LASIK. Wear protective eyewear and limit your exposure to bright light. Keep your hands away from your eyes to prevent introducing germs or debris and avoid makeup and lotions around your eyes. Your surgeon will share additional instructions specific to your LASIK recovery, but note that strong overall eye health makes your surgery and recovery much smoother.
General vision health tips
You must have good eye health to be a candidate for LASIK surgery, so follow basic vision health advice. Eating well, exercising, and choosing the correct eyewear are all crucial to maintaining healthy vision. Whether it’s wearing sunglasses when outside or safety goggles when working near chemicals or debris, protective gear can keep your eyes safe. Sports and other rigorous activities may also require protective eyewear—ask your eye doctor how to keep your eyes safe during certain activities. Take breaks from screens to avoid dry eye or fatigue, and finally, keep your hands and face clean. Washing your hands before touching your eye area is always important, but especially while recovering from LASIK!
Choosing a good LASIK surgeon
LASIK surgery is the highest-rated elective procedure in the United States. However, even when undergoing a surgery with such a high patient satisfaction rate, choosing an excellent surgeon is crucial. Selecting the best professional will help make your surgery as pleasant as possible while maximizing improvements to your vision.
What to look for in a good doctor
When choosing any doctor, you should look for a friendly and inviting office—searching for LASIK surgeons should be no different. Medical offices with a welcoming culture allow patients to feel respected and at ease.
Pay attention to the physical space of the waiting area and consultation rooms during your visits. Sterile, secure environments are required for safe surgery, but they should not be exclusive to surgical settings; the right practice will conduct preliminary consultations with the same standards for hygiene and safety. Clean, updated facilities indicate an office keeps an attention to detail and commitment to patients that can translates to quality care.
Selecting a supportive surgeon
The best ophthalmologists are not just well-educated surgeons, but considerate professionals who can listen and explain diagnoses and treatment options well. Good surgeons, like Dr. Weber and Dr. Beran of Columbus Laser & Cataract Center, understand their patients’ concerns and the importance of clear vision. They address patients’ needs while ensuring their overall health and safety remain the priority. The same should be true for your LASIK surgeon.
Remember, LASIK surgery is not a solution for everyone and every vision problem. Be wary of surgeons who do not thoroughly explain the benefits and risks of any surgery fully, especially when it comes to LASIK. Your surgeon should ensure your prescription, cornea shape, and overall eye health make you a good candidate for LASIK. A surgeon who pushes you to choose LASIK—without checking these and other criteria first—is a surgeon to avoid.
Choosing between experienced care or cutting-edge technology?
Another factor to consider when searching for the right LASIK surgeon is the quality of tools and techniques at that surgeon’s disposal. A surgeon who uses cutting-edge technology and techniques can provide excellent precision, which is optimal for eye surgery.
While younger surgeons may be trained with the newest tools, a surgeon does not have to be new to the industry to be comfortable with the newest innovations. In fact, when it comes to finding a good LASIK surgeon, you benefit the most when you choose a surgeon with demonstrated experience, continuing education, and a commitment to the best technology and techniques. Surgeons with a strong history in the field should be continually learning, like our doctors. Pick a LASIK provider who is both accomplished and committed to evolving alongside advances in their field.
Choose a reputable LASIK surgeon
Clean facilities, up-to-date technology, and welcoming culture are important components to secure a positive “gut-feeling” about the surgeon you select, but they should not be the only criteria you consider when choosing a LASIK surgeon. The reputation of a surgeon also matters a great deal. When researching, look for surgeons who have affiliations with national and local organizations in their specialty. Also, verify if the surgeon or their practice has recognitions in excellence from outside parties—these recognitions can indicate you’ve found one of the best LASIK providers in your area.
Patient reviews matter!
Finding a LASIK surgeon with accolades from established publications is excellent, but perhaps the most important recognitions to consider when searching for a LASIK surgeon are reviews from other patients. Patient reviews offer an account of a surgeon’s strengths from the perspective of someone who has been in your shoes. Knowing how many other people recommend the care they received can be the final piece to feeling secure that you’ve found the right surgeon for your LASIK procedure.
Choose a practice that puts it all together
With over 50 years of combined experience between Dr. Beran and Dr. Weber, Columbus Laser & Cataract Center offers top-of-the-line vision surgery options. Dr. Weber and Dr. Beran are committed to continuing their education and staying up to date on the latest technology, but their histories in the profession demonstrate experience you can trust.
Columbus Laser & Cataract Center offers excellence in a variety of vision services, including and beyond LASIK surgery, such as AST, cataract surgery, and dry eye treatments. Drs. Beran and Weber each hold a variety of recognitions, distinguishing them among the best ophthalmologists and eye doctors. We are proud of how highly our patients regard us—we are confident you will, too!
Ready to select your LASIK team?
Now that you know what to look for in a LASIK surgeon, why not start your search with the best LASIK surgeons in Columbus? To learn more about LASIK services at Columbus Laser & Cataract Center, give us a call at (614) 939-1600. Our LASIK experts, Dr. Beran and Dr. Weber, can’t wait to meet you!