Is Laser Eye Surgery Safe?

Laser Eye Surgery

• I am 45 and wear contact lenses. I am near sighted and have a correction of -1.75 in each eye. I am considering laser eye surgery in Toronto, or London, Canada. The 3 companies I have considered seem to use the same laser technology which is the lasik laser. TLC in London charge $1400.00 per eye. The Bochner Institute charge $2400.00 per eye. Both Canadian $. And finally Lasik Toronto charge $800.00 US $ but have a special for $390.00 US per eye approx $600. can $. My question is what is the difference between these laser surgeries. Is there any value by spending more money. Are any deemed safer or a better reputation. There is such a huge variance between companies but I cant see why. Is spending more money worth it. thanks

• Answer:

  Greetings Bermuda200: There does seem to be a strong opinion that quality is lacking with inexpensive laser eye surgeries. I found the following information to be very enlightening. From Research to Prevent Blindness (RPB): "CHEAP LASIK IS LIKE A CHEAP PARACHUTE: It works most of the time, but when it doesn't it is a disaster. "Summary:An apparent violation of standard sterile technique by a discount surgery center led to four consecutive patients developing a severe eye infection. "Significance:To offer LASIK at $499 and to support a large advertising budget requires discount laser centers to cut corners. The consequences for the patient can be disastrous. "Background:UCLA investigators recently reported four consecutive patients treated for farsightedness at a single discount laser center. The surgeon's laser was not able to treat farsightedness. Rather than referring the patients to a center with a laser capable of treating farsightedness, the surgeon jury-rigged a method of correcting farsightedness that involved cutting contact lenses into pieces and using the pieces to block the laser beam as it was hitting the patient's eye. After treatment, three of the four patients developed infections in both eyes,and the remaining patient developed an infection in one of the treated eyes." The above is from http://www.rpbusa.org/pdf/16th/rmalone1.pdf - pages 2 and 3. I suggest you peruse the entire document. They conclude "Low-cost LASIK puts the surgeon under pressure to cut corners to save money, which can be disastrous for the unsuspecting consumer." Should you want more information from them, the contact information for Research to Prevent Blindness is: 645 Madison Avenue New York, New York 10022-10101 800-621-0026 FAX: 212-688-6231 website: www.RPBUSA.org *********** In a chat interview hosted by USA Today featuring Dr. Anne Sumers, a spokeswoman for the American Academy of Ophthalmology, a query was presented: "My father had surgery at the ICON LASIK center in Canada. His surgery was not a success. They over corrected his eyes and told him it could be corrected, however, they didn't tell us they were going bankrupt even though he has paid for the surgery in full. Do you have any suggestions?" Anne Sumers replied, "Oh, dear. This is exactly what the American Academy of Ophthalmology was worried about when "off shore discount LASIK surgery" was first advertised in Canada. (They were offering very cheap LASIK surgery, in an unsustainable economic plan). People who are considering LASIK should chose a local doctor, who will provide their post-op care; this is surgery, not a haircut." The chat transcript is located at http://www.usatoday.com/community/chat/2001-06-29-sumers.htm and I think you will find it helpful. ************* CNN Health presents an article at http://www.cnn.com/2003/HEALTH/02/26/laser.eye.surgery/ titled "Clearing up picture on laser eye surgery - Experts urge caution in finding doctor, learning risks". A Ms. Shope's surgery is discussed there. She had an astigmatism and is legally blind in one eye after surgery. It reads after that, "Experts say Shope should have been ruled out as a candidate for surgery because of the severity of her condition. The fact that she wasn't, they say, emphasizes the need for consumers to be informed about the surgery and the specific doctor who will perform it." The article continues with "Finding the best doctor for the job takes research, and experts say looking for the best price is not the best place to start. "[Patients] wouldn't want to get discount open heart surgery or budget brain surgery," said Dr. Terrence O'Brien of John Hopkins University's Wilmer Eye Institute in Baltimore, Maryland. "Yet some people devalue their eyes and would risk a major complication to have a discounted eye surgery." ********* The Eye Sugery Education Council of the Lasik Institute offers excellent information about laser eye sugery at http://www.lasikinstitute.org/ and they also offers a comprehensive article titled "Selecting Your Surgeon" at http://www.lasikinstitute.org/Selecting_Surgeon.html . In closing, the author suggests: "Beyond the surgeon's experience, patients should investigate and evaluate the following criteria before deciding upon a surgeon: "Training and education; Certifications - board certifications as well as manufacturer certifications on lasers and microkeratomes; Professional memberships and important offices held; Training and teaching activities; Research and writing activities; Awards; Reputation; The equipment the surgeon uses. "Although no single criterion will help you make your choice, a holistic evaluation of the above criteria should help you feel comfortable with the surgeon you choose. Finally, if at any point in the decision making process you have any doubts about your surgeon or his or her medical opinion, do not hesitate to seek a second opinion." ************ There were plenty of web sites for laser services that said essentially the same thing (don't go cheap) however I chose not to include those because the opinions are from businesses wanting customer's money so I don't consider them unbiased sources. I stuck with high-profile news sources, research organizations and professional collectives. So, the question for me is, instead of spending more, is it worth spending less? I don't believe you have to spend the most but it's usually true in life that we get what we pay for - quality doesn't come cheaply. Our eyesight is very precious and it's a sense we often take for granted until it begins to fail. I suggest you call each place you're considering and ask them all the question suggestions from the "Selecting a Surgeon" article. The offices that respond with promptness and patience are the ones I would consider. And running with Dr. Sumers haircut analogy above, I must confess that everytime I've ever had an inexpensive haircut, I haven't been pleased with the result. Should you require any clarification of the links or information I have provided, please request it and I will be happy to respond. SEARCH STRATEGY: "cheap lasik" American Academy of Ophthalmology