Like other surgical procedures, it is important to ask certain questions before undergoing the surgery. Getting answers to the right question can set your mind at ease to undergo the procedure.
When searching for a suitable laser eye surgeon, you may not know the right questions to ask the surgeons. Below are some important questions about the procedure, the surgeon and aftercare you can ask during your consultation.
The surgeon
During the consultation, you will meet the eye surgeon who would handle your treatment. In this consultation, you can ask the following questions about the surgeon to know their expertise and capability.
- What is your success rate?
- What is your posterior capsular rupture rate?
- Are you registered with the General Medical Council?
- Are you a member of the Royal College of Surgeons/Ophthalmologists or their equivalent?
- Will you take part in my aftercare?
- Do you have a speciality Fellowship sub-speciality training in laser eye surgery?
- How long have you been carrying out it?
- Are you accredited to carry out laser eye surgery by the Royal College?
- Do you have specialist Fellowship training in corneal surgery?
Laser eye surgery procedure
After you’ve gotten satisfactory answers from the surgeon and decide that the surgeon is suitable for carrying out your laser eye surgery, you need to know more about the procedure. To help you achieve this, you can ask the following questions.
- How long does surgery take?
- Will I need all pre-operative tests?
- What will my prescription be after the procedure?
- How long will recovery take?
- How long has the procedure and technique suitable for me been available?
- What are the risks of having complications?
- If complications occur, what are the long term implications?
- How do you handle complications?
- When can I resume work after the procedure?
- When can I drive after the procedure?
- Do you use modern technology for the surgery?
Aftercare
The level of aftercare your clinic is willing to offer you will play a huge part in the success of your procedure. You can ask them how much aftercare you should expect after:
- One day following the procedure
- 1 – 3 weeks following your surgery
- Six weeks afterwards
- Three months after
- One year after
Here are some common questions and answers about laser eye surgery
Can I undergo laser eye surgery?
Different factors can affect your suitability for the surgery. This makes scheduling a consultation with an eye surgeon necessary before getting laser eye treatment for your vision correction. Having a check-up and assessing if you can undergo the surgery ensures you receive effective treatment and achieve your desired outcome.
Generally, the following persons are suitable:
- People over 18 years
- Those with good eye health
- People with a stable prescription
However, some medical conditions can affect whether you are suitable for laser eye treatment or not. These conditions include:
- Dry eyes
- Low glasses prescription
- High internal eye pressure
- Epilepsy
- Being pregnant
During your consultation, the surgeon will inform you if you can’t undergo laser eye surgery due to certain general or eye health issues.
What type of laser eye surgery is suitable for me?
Different laser eye surgery procedures are available and can correct a wide range of vision problems. The procedure suitable for you will depend on some factors such as refractive error, lifestyle, age and prescription.
Are other treatments available for me if I am unsuitable for laser surgery?
Several other treatments are available for vision correction besides laser surgery. If your surgeon finds you unsuitable for laser eye treatment, you may undergo refractive lens exchange or Phakic ICL (implantable contact lens) surgery. The KAMRA Inlay surgery is another treatment option for vision correction.
Why is a consultation necessary?
Having a consultation before deciding whether to undergo the surgery or not is necessary to determine if you are suitable for the laser eye procedure and discuss your options and their possible outcome.
During the consultation, your eye surgeon will also discuss the cost of the procedure, and you can ask questions to know more about the procedure to allow you to make an informed decision.
Ensure you also ask the level of access you will have to the eye surgeon carrying out your procedure because you may likely have more questions for the surgeon.
You can find out more about laser eye surgery from experienced laser eye surgeons at The Lasik Clinic in London.