What should you look for in a LASIK surgeon?

When you shop for a new car, a new house, or a new television… how much research do you do? Most people at least look at a few different options, get a sense for what price they should expect to pay, and have an idea of what sort of quality to expect. If you’re shopping for a television, are you going to get HD, UHD, 4K, etc?

Well… is a television more valuable than your eyesight?

Surprisingly… Most people don’t do the as much research for a procedure that will impact their eyesight for the rest of their lives as they do when shopping for a television. One of the reasons for this is because there aren’t a lot of great sources of information on how to shop for a great surgeon.

That’s why we’re here to help! 😀

In this section we’re going to arm you with all the information you’ll need & a provide you with a list of questions you should have ready to ask any doctor you’re considering for LASIK.

There are a lot of doctors who do LASIK… how are you supposed to know who’s good or not good? How are you supposed to know who’s up-to-date and who’s using surgical techniques from decades ago? How are you supposed to know which surgeons are well-trained and truly experts in the field? How do you know which practices are cutting corners to reduce costs at the expense of safety and quality?

We’re going to give you a detailed guide of the top things to look for in a LASIK surgeon. If you read this article, you’ll be making your best investment ever in the future of your vision.

(Note: If you haven’t read about “The Basics” of LASIK yet, that might be a good starting point before you read further in this section.)

Modern laser vision correction is not a one-size-fits-all procedure… and LASIK is not the only vision correction procedure out there.

“Refractive Surgery“ is the specialty within Ophthalmology which focuses on procedures that correct your vision. This specialty includes laser vision correction procedures that work on the cornea, such as LASIK, as well as other vision correction procedures that work inside the eye.

Our website focuses on LASIK since it’s the most common laser vision correction procedure in the world, and the one that most people have heard of… However, it’s not the best option for everyone. There are a variety of other procedures which may be better for you, which include: Advanced Surface Ablation (a.k.a. “PRK”), Implantable Contact Lens (“ICL”), SMILE, and Refractive Lens Exchange.

Find a doctor who is a specialist in “refractive surgery”. This type of specialist will be familiar with all of the different vision correction procedures out there, and will be able to give you the proper information about which procedures are best for your eyes and your lifestyle.

Question to ask your doctor: Do you specialize in “refractive surgery”? Why do you recommend LASIK over other vision correction procedures for me?

If there’s one piece of advice you listen to on this list… This is it!

What is an “itinerant” surgeon?

“Itinerant” means “to travel from place to place”.

Believe it or not… there are surgeons who travel from place to place doing surgery… never seeing their patients either before or after the day of surgery… and not being available if complications arise.

Maybe on Monday they’re in Toledo… Tuesday in Pittsburgh… then Akron… and so on.

This is a recipe for disaster.

In our opinion this practice is outrageous and dangerous… not to mention unethical and not in the interest of patient safety.

There are sooooo many reasons that this practice can lead to problems and bad outcomes. We could probably write an entire book on it.

To keep it brief…

In these types of practices, your eligibility for surgery is determined by an optometrist, not a surgeon. Optometrists are not trained to perform LASIK.

If you’re determined to be eligible for LASIK, you’ll be put on the itinerant surgeon’s surgery schedule for the next day that he or she is in town. The surgeon may only be in your town one day per week… or one day per month. On that surgery day, you’ll be just another number in a LASIK cutting mill with perhaps 20-30 other patients lined up for surgery that day. That surgeon will have never met any of you. He may have woken up extremely early, perhaps to fly in from a different city that morning, and on little sleep be asked to operate on many patients’ eyes who he’s never seen before… and may never meet again. And that evening he’ll fly off to another city to do it again. You’re post-operative visits will be scheduled with the optometrist… not your surgeon.

Name any other type of surgery… even one… in which a similar process takes place?!?!… Maaaaaybe in third-world countries where patients don’t have access to certain types of doctors who need to be flown in periodically… But is that what you’re paying for in your LASIK?? Third-world quality medicine??

There are so many other details and nuances to the surgical planning process in modern LASIK, that you should never agree to have eye surgery without first being evaluated by a surgeon. In our opinion, it’s simply not safe. Secondly, it’s critical to have your surgeon available to you after your procedure just in case you need them. If they’re in other cities doing LASIK for the next week or two, then they’re not available for your needs.

This is basic common sense.

Some things you only get a chance to do once in life… LASIK is not the place to cut corners… Get it done right.

Question to ask your doctor: Are you an itinerant surgeon? How many days per week are you available locally if I need you?

We’ve all heard the saying… “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is”

And we’ve all seen advertisements at are too good to be true… Like “$199 LASIK!”

This is a commonly used “bait-and-switch” advertising technique to get you to come in for an appointment… and then… surprise!… 99% of patients don’t qualify for the “$199 LASIK” special…. And your price is closer to $3,000 per eye.

This is a serious red flag. Not only is it unethical… but it’s a sign of things to come. LASIK isn’t a one-time event. There are necessary follow-up visits, expensive eye drops, and other potential hidden fees that can be snuck in throughout the process. If a practice is openly misleading in their initial engagement with you, it’s concerning that they may mislead you again.

Question to ask your doctor: Any additional fees other than the price of surgery? Eye drops? Follow-up visits? What if I need a touch-up?

This is somewhat related to the previous topic… but it’s worth knowing what you should expect to pay for modern LASIK at a reputable, high-quality practice.

Based on our in-depth knowledge of the LASIK market… the average price of LASIK with modern technology & an experienced surgeon is approximately $2,500 – $4,000 per eye. This may vary by region.

If a practice charges much less… you should do your homework and find out why. Based on the costs associated with modern laser equipment, it’s likely some corners may be getting cut.

Practices that charge more typically provide top-notch state-of-the-art lasers & diagnostic equipment, continually update their equipment, provide high access & availability to your doctors if you ever need them, and provide a premium comfortable and convenient experience from start-to-finish.

If you feel rushed through the process, find another doctor and practice who will give you the time and attention that you deserve.

Question to ask your doctor: How much does LASIK cost? What financing options are available?

LASIK technology has advanced tremendously over the past 20-30 years.

What year was your cell phone designed? Would you ever consider using a 20 year old cell phone?

Modern LASIK technology has made it safer and better than ever before at getting patients perfect 20/20 vision… or even better! Having modern technology also speaks to the overall quality of the practice and dedication to their patients. As you can imagine… it would be much more lucrative for a practice to continue using an old laser, and charging the same price, rather than upgrading to a new laser.

A new laser can cost a practice well over a million dollars. Practices that truly specialize in LASIK and whose reputation relies on the best outcomes for their patients can justify this expense. On the other hand, practices that are not as focused on LASIK or are looking to cut corners may choose not to upgrade as often.

Check out our list of “Recommended Technology” to make sure any surgeon that you’re considering is up-to-date.

Question to ask your doctor: What lasers do you use for LASIK? See if they’re on our recommended list.

A practice with a good reputation has it for a reason!

Moreover… they work hard to maintain these good reputations and want to keep them that way. That means they’re more likely to do what it takes to make you happy. That’s how they got all those good reviews in the first place… by pleasing patients.

Online reviews are a great way to learn from the experiences of patients who have had LASIK with a doctor before you.

There are lots of online review sites. We feel that Google Reviews is the most reputable. Google does a great job making sure that reviews are legitimate & trustworthy.

Question to ask your doctor: Do your homework reading online reviews… and ask your doctor about anything that appears concerning. Also be sure to check out our directory of “Best LASIK Surgeons in America”… where we use our expertise to review surgeons for you.