Do you dream of attaining crisp, clear vision that’s yours from the moment you wake up? Are you tired of the tiny frustrations of dealing with visual aids?
If you’re considering getting LASIK, you’re on the precipice of changing your life. After all, LASIK is a highly effective and low-risk procedure.
Over 95% of LASIK patients achieve 20/20 vision or better after the vision correction procedure. LASIK can give you total visual freedom if you have a refractive error and rely on glasses and contact lenses.
But when you decide you want to have LASIK surgery, where do you start? There are what can feel like endless ophthalmology practices offering LASIK, making it more challenging to choose the best person to perform your procedure.
But knowing what to look for can help. Keep reading to learn what you should look for in a LASIK surgeon!
They Have Extensive Experience
Before deciding on any surgeon, including your LASIK surgeon, you want to ensure they have enough experience. You want to choose a LASIK surgeon who has performed the LASIK procedure many times before to ensure they know exactly what they are doing, which translates to better patient results.
They Have a Good Reputation
Although experience is a good marker, it doesn’t necessarily equal skill. An experienced surgeon will likely be more skilled, but it isn’t guaranteed.
When looking at a potential LASIK surgeon, you should ensure they have a good reputation. Look at online reviews but remember to take any negative ones you may come across with a grain of salt.
What’s important is that the majority of the reviews are positive. You can also ask people you know who’ve had LASIK if they’d recommend their surgeon.
Another thing to look for regarding your potential surgeon’s reputation is how many patients they screen out. Most adults with a refractive error make good LASIK candidates, but not all will.
10-15% of patients who get a LASIK consultation shouldn’t have LASIK because it could be unsafe. Check that your surgeon has a patient acceptance rate of at most 90%. This ensures that they prioritize patient safety over profit.
They’re Board Certified
Any LASIK surgeon you choose should be certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology. Not all ophthalmologists are board certified, so asking your LASIK surgeon about their status is a good idea.
Board certification means an eye doctor has completed a certain level of training and education. It also means they must complete continuing education every few years to retain their board certification to keep up with all the latest medical knowledge and techniques.
They Use the Best Technology Available
Your surgeon’s skill, reputation, and experience can only take you so far. You also want to ensure they use the best available equipment and technology.
Ask about what they use for their LASIK procedures. Only some ophthalmology practices have the most recent and advanced state-of-the-art technology, so asking about what they offer is essential.
You may also need to do your own research. You can easily search for the system they use online to do your own research and see how up-to-date the equipment is. If it seems outdated or older, that may be a red flag and a sign to keep looking at other LASIK practices.
They Make You Feel Comfortable
You want to get along well with your LASIK surgeon. They should make you feel safe and confident in their abilities.
To do this and make feeling comfortable possible, you have to trust your LASIK surgeon from the very beginning. LASIK is a very minimally-invasive surgery, but it’s still a surgery, and any surgery can be a little scary.
Your surgeon should put you at ease. They should be able to explain what will happen during the procedure and what they expect of you.
Your LASIK surgeon should also explain what to expect during the recovery process and if there is anything you should keep an eye out for, like signs of complications or infection. They should also be able to answer your questions and address any concerns you may have.
The best surgeons can explain complex medical knowledge in a way that their patients can easily understand and digest. If a potential LASIK surgeon makes you feel confused, condescending, or uncomfortable, you should look elsewhere.
See Clearly Vision is the Best of the Best
If you want somewhere to start looking for a LASIK surgeon, look no further than See Clearly Vision. We have some of the best LASIK surgeons at See Clearly Vision.
Our practice’s founder, Dr. Rajesh K. Rajpal, is recognized as a top LASIK surgeon by Washingtonian Magazine and a top doctor by Northern Virginia Magazine and the Consumers’ Research Council of America.
With an extensive academic and clinical career, you can rest assured that Dr. Rajpal is highly skilled and experienced. He was the first eye surgeon in Washington, DC, to perform laser vision correction surgery!
Not only is he board certified, but he’s also a member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. He also holds several memberships with other leading societies and academies for Ophthalmology and Refractive Surgery.
Our other surgeons, Dr. Christine A. Tagayun and Dr. Gitanjali B. Baveja, are also highly accomplished and board-certified. Dr. Baveja holds a master’s degree in Biophysics and Physiology as well as a medical degree.
She’s deeply passionate about healthcare and completed her fellowship at See Clearly Vision, specializing in cornea and external disease. As a cornea specialist, she also performs refractive surgeries, including LASIK.
Dr. Tagayun also completed her fellowship at See Clearly Vision. She has extensive experience with laser eye surgery and was named a top doctor by Washingtonian Magazine and Northern Virginia Magazine. Like Dr. Rajpal, Dr. Tagayun is a member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, along with the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery.
All of our surgeons have an excellent reputation in their field and amongst patients and stay up to date with all the current LASIK techniques and advances in vision care.
For the best LASIK procedure, you need the best LASIK surgeon. Today, find out if you’re a good LASIK candidate by scheduling your LASIK consultation at See Clearly Vision in McLean and Arlington, VA!
