Laser Eye Surgery Risks
Laser eye surgery risks are uncommon, especially because Dr. Andrew Holzman’s Eye Care Centers in Virginia, Maryland, and Washington D.C. have strict patient screenings. About 20% of the patients are turned away for their safety because they do not fit the criteria for the procedure. According to the FDA website the way for you as a patient to protect yourself from the possibility of surgical complications is to do the following:
Finding the Right Doctor
If you are considering refractive surgery, make sure you:
- Compare. The levels of risk and benefit vary slightly not only from procedure to procedure, but from device to device depending on the manufacturer, and from surgeon to surgeon depending on their level of experience with a particular procedure.
- Don’t base your decision simply on cost and don’t settle for the first eye center, doctor, or procedure you investigate. Remember that the decisions you make about your eyes and refractive surgery will affect you for the rest of your life.
- Be wary of eye centers that advertise, “20/20 vision or your money back” or “package deals.” There are never any guarantees in medicine.
- Read. It is important for you to read the patient handbook provided to your doctor by the manufacturer of the device used to perform the refractive procedure. Your doctor should provide you with this handbook and be willing to discuss his/her outcomes (successes as well as complications) compared to the results of studies outlined in the handbook.
Even the best screened patients under the care of most skilled surgeons can experience complications. That is why you must be sure that you have been fully evaluated and educated by your laser eye surgeon. Dr. Holzman and his staff are dedicated to treating you as we would want ourselves to be treated if we were in your shoes. We welcome any questions or concerns that you have about complications of refractive surgery and how we would manage them. We feel that it is so important for you to be educated on how laser vision correction can benefit you. The reality is not everyone is a candidate…but many people are and can benefit from this great and effective procedure.
