SURGEON’S REPUTATION
I think reputation is the best indicator of quality because reputations can’t be bought. They can only be earned, and only earned by doing great work for a long time on a lot of patients. Pay close attention to reputation in choosing your surgeon. There are several ways to get a read on a surgeon’s reputation.
ASK OTHER PATIENTS
If you know people who have had vision correction surgery, ask them who their surgeon was and how they felt about their overall experience. Were they happy with the outcome?
Did they have confidence in their surgeon? Was the surgeon compassionate, and did he or she take time to answer questions before and after the procedure? Was the care personalized or did the office feel like a too-busy bus station? Personal experiences are powerful indicators of the quality of care. Don’t rely on a single patient referral, though. Ask lots of people to get a more complete picture.
ASK YOUR OPTOMETRIST
Eye doctors know who the best surgeons are, and they are usually better able than you are to assess a surgeon’s talents. An eye care practitioner whom you trust and respect is a great source of referrals. Because referring patients is a routine and important part of their professional practice, these physicians will almost always be able to recommend a nearby surgeon with a sound reputation. They can’t afford to refer to a bad provider because patients hold them responsible if they make a bad referral.
ASK OTHER EYE DOCTORS
Call other local eye doctors’ offices and ask who they refer patients to for LASIK, or whichever surgery you are considering. Many doctors will provide this information over the phone without a need to visit. Even smarter is to call other LASIK surgeons outside your state (find them on the Internet). Tell whoever answers the phone that you heard their doctor is great but it is too far for you to travel. Ask if they would recommend a surgeon in your area. A little flattery will likely get you the names of surgeons in your area who have a reputation that has spread nationwide. These are the surgeons who should do your surgery. Nobody knows the abilities and limitations of a surgeon better than other surgeons who do the same thing.
SEARCH THE INTERNET
If you do research on the Internet, you will find much information about vision correction surgery. Yelp is a good place to learn about a doctor’s practice style. Read both the good and bad reviews. Even the best surgeons will have some bad reviews, but bad reviews should be a low percentage. Read the bad reviews and see how the doctor responds (if at all). Is the doctor’s response caring and conciliatory, or hostile and defensive? You’ll learn how he or she handles unhappy patients. There are review sites specifically dedicated to reviewing professionals, but at this time they aren’t getting the traction Yelp has.
CHECK DOCTOR RATINGS
Two organizations identify the best doctors in each geographic area and specialty. These organizations survey a large number of doctors and ask the question, “If you or a member of your family had a medical problem, who would you turn to for help?” The better organization is America’s Top Doctors, which has an excellent website that allows you to search for doctors in your area (www.castleconnolly.com). Only the best 1 percent or 2 percent of doctors make this listing. The other organization is Best Doctors in America. It identifies the top 5 percent of American physicians. Its website is not searchable, but the doctors chosen by this organization will often have a recognition plaque in their office. Being listed by either of these organizations is a strong sign that the surgeon is highly respected by his or her peers.
Surgeon’s Credentials
