Are you considering undergoing LASIK surgery to correct problems with your vision? There are two factors that need to be taken into account before you undergo the surgery.

1. Are you a candidate for the surgery? Do you have any pre-existing conditions or are you taking medications that could make you a less than ideal candidate for LASIK Surgery?
2. Is the LASIK Surgeon that you are considering using the best suited to your needs?

Below, you will find some questions to ask both yourself, and your prospective LASIK surgeon, which will help to answer these questions.

1. Am I a candidate for LASIK Surgery? A pre-operative examination will determine whether you are a candidate for the procedure. Questions which will be asked will include whether you have changed your glasses or contact lens prescription in the last year, are you taking medications which will preclude you from the procedure, such as steroids? A good doctor will ask you as many questions as you ask them.
2. Is it a painful procedure? You will be given anaesthetic eye drops before the procedure, and possibly some light sedation. Whilst the procedure itself is generally not uncomfortable, you may undergo some slight discomfort in the subsequent days whilst the eyes heal.
3. How long does the operation take? Whilst the actual LASIK procedure itself can be performed in around sixty seconds, preparation of the eye and post-treatment mean that the whole procedure will take around one hour.
4. Will I be able to drive after the surgery? No. you will not be able to drive home after your LASIK surgery, though you should be able to drive generally within a few days.
5. Is LASIK surgery reversible? No, LASIK Surgery is a permanent procedure. Having said that, your eyes will still age after LASIK Surgery, so you may still need contact lenses or glasses as you grow older.
6. What about follow up? You may need to see your surgeon for an examination the day after the procedure. You should then have another appointment within six months post-surgery.
   

Ensuring that the LASIK surgeon that you are considering using is both right for you in your circumstances, and a well qualified and trained doctor working in a modern surgery is crucial. By asking the following questions, you will get a good idea if they are the right surgeon for you.

1. What are their qualifications? Are they regularly performing the procedure which you are considering undertaking? How many surgeries have they performed?
2. What is their success rate? Ask your surgeon how many of their patients have 20/20 and 20/40 vision after the procedure. They should be close to 90% for 20/40 and 65% for 20/20. You should also ask how many of their patients have post-operative complications. Anything over 3% should raise alarm bells.
3. How many patients do they deny treatment? If your surgeon is serious about the absolute best outcomes for their patients, they should be turning down at least a small percentage of prospective patients. Not everybody is a candidate for successful LASIK surgery, a doctor who undertakes procedures on every single person who comes to their clinic may be placing money before patient outcomes.
4. Do they offer financing? You may need the surgery, but may be unable to affiord it. Many Laser vision correction practices offer lasik surgery financing. Ask your clinic what options for finance are availalbe to you.
   

A well informed patient is much more likely to have positive outcomes in any medical arena, and this holds true for people considering LASIK Surgery. So be sure to ask questions of your doctor, and if they seem unhappy to answer them, maybe you should be wondering whether they're the right doctor for you.