Choosing a surgeon for LASIK or PRK is not as difficult as it can be for many other kinds of surgery.
But a bad eye procedure outcome can affect your life almost as negatively as a bad heart operation outcome. That’s why it is so important to choose the best surgeon available.
Indicators of a quality surgeon can include experience, great credentials and willingness to work with a patient to resolve possible problems following a procedure.
Finding a Good LASIK Surgeon Factors to consider when you check qualifications and abilities of a refractive surgeon include:
► Licensing: State licensing boards can validate a surgeon’s credentials. You also can check a surgeon’s credentials through the National Practitioner Data Bank.
► Board certification: Ask if your surgeon is board certified beyond having a basic license to practice medicine. This means that an entity recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties has certified the surgeon to practice in his or her specialty. The American Board of Ophthalmology is one such entity that requires board-certified physicians to complete specific training and continuing education related to the specialty.
► American College of Surgeons (ACS) membership: The ACS upholds ethical standards of conduct for all members, who must be board certified.