More than 12 million people in the United States alone have some level of vision impairment. If you would like to improve your eyesight with the help of a LASIK surgeon, you’ll first need to choose a good surgeon in Austin. While this might sound like an easy task, you’ll actually need to do a bit of research to make sure that you make a good choice.
After all, the last thing you want is an inexperienced or unprofessional surgeon to operate on your eyes. But what should you look for when choosing a surgeon to perform LASIK surgery on you? Keep reading and learn what to look for before you choose.
Get Referrals and Check the Customer Reviews
The best place to start when looking for a surgeon is to first get some referrals from people you know.
You are sure to have a friend or family member that has some experience with LASIK surgery. If so, you can ask them about various LASIK surgeons in Austin Texas, and whether or not those surgeons were any good.
It is important to get referrals because you can learn more about a particular surgeon from a person who has already experienced that surgeon’s services. That way, you can find out more information about that surgeon that you might not be able to find on the surgeon’s website. If you can’t get referrals from your friends or family, the next best thing is to go online and check the online customer reviews for different surgeons.
The Details
These days, almost every doctor has at least a handful of reviews from previous clients. Going through these reviews can actually tell you a lot about a particular surgeon. After all, a surgeon’s website will only tell you so much about the procedure and the quality of the procedure.
The customer reviews will be able to tell you all about the downsides and positives of a particular surgeon. For example, a person might have had a great experience with a LASIK surgeon, but the price of the procedure might have been higher than average. On the other hand, another surgeon might be more affordable, but he might perform mediocre results and might even have a bad reputation as an eye surgeon.
Once you read through enough reviews from previous customers, you should be able to narrow down your options. From there, you can research more specific factors.
Look for the Right Credentials and Education
When choosing a LASIK eye surgeon, it is vital that the surgeon has the right credentials. The surgeon you choose must be board certified in ophthalmology. This is the only way to prove that the surgeon has the right education behind his name.
After all, eye surgeons need to have a certain level of education to perform surgery. They are even more educated than your average ophthalmologist and they need to study for a longer period of time. You should also make sure that the surgeon has plenty of experience.
Just because a surgeon is board-certified doesn’t mean that he has a lot of experience. He might be fresh out of school and still collecting new clients. While choosing a new surgeon isn’t the worst thing in the world, it is a much better idea to choose a more experienced surgeon. After all, a surgeon with more experience will naturally be more efficient at his job.
What You Need to Know
A more experienced surgeon will also be far less likely to make basic mistakes. It is best to look for a surgeon that has more than two or three years of experience with eye surgeries. It is best if you can find a surgeon who has practiced LASIK surgery in particular many times before.
After all, an eye surgeon might be experienced, but he might not have a lot of experience with the LASIK technique. You should also make sure that a surgeon doesn’t have any previous claims of medical malpractice or anything similar. If so, you should not opt for that surgeon as you would be putting your health at risk.
Even if the malpractice claim was made many years ago, it is still best to choose a surgeon with a clean record.
Talk With the Surgeon
Once you narrow down your choices, even more, it is important to talk one-on-one with the surgeon of your choice. Getting a consultation with the surgeon will help you better understand whether or not that surgeon is the right choice for you. You will also have the chance to ask the surgeon certain questions about the procedure, his previous experience, and so on.
While talking with the surgeon, it is important to know whether or not you feel comfortable talking to him. If the surgeon seems aloof or even rude, it will be best to find another surgeon that is more accommodating and welcoming towards you. A good surgeon will also be willing to answer your questions in a direct fashion.
You should also take the opportunity to ask questions relating to the recovery after the procedure, any complications that might happen, and so on.
How To Find the Right LASIK Surgeon
Finding the right LASIK surgeon for you can be difficult at first, but it will be easier if you know what to look for. In particular, you should first ask for referrals or explore some online customer reviews to narrow down your options. Then, you should make sure that a surgeon has all the right credentials and education.
Finally, you can talk with the surgeon and decide whether or not that surgeon is right for you. To learn more, contact us here.
