LASIK is the most popular refractive surgery procedure. LASIK stands for Laser Assisted In-Situ Keratomileusis. There are newer procedures on the market however they do not have the proven history of LASIK and they tend to be more expensive.

Pick up a national newspaper and you will probably find ads for LASIK surgery. Do not assume that the highest priced surgeons are the best. Below is a short checkilst to see if the surgeons and surgeries provide the kind of treatment that you should be looking for

Education
Look for someone with refractive eye surgery as a specialization with specific education. All opthalmologists are considered as eye specialists but they aren’t all qualified to carry out refractive surgery

Experience
Does the surgeon have a good work history? check how long the surgery has been active and how many patients they have treated successfully. Are they commonly recommended?

Equipment & Procedure
There are many different types of LASIK available. Ensure that the latest technology and equipment is availableand used readily.

Price
Most newspapers will carry ads for eye centres and surgeries. Although most focus on price, try to look for the ones who use expensive full colour ads across a full page. Although this does not always apply, mostly the surgeries who take these ads out will get most of the business. These ads also cost a lot of money so this also suggests that they have the capital to purchase the latest equipment.

Most eye centres and surgeries will be highly competitive on price. Narrow it down to a few surgeries and then book a consultation with each. It is important to have a good rapport with your surgeon, so your final decision should lie with a surgeon who is on your wavelength and the surgery which will offer you the best care both pre-op and post-op