Better Vision For Life – September 2016

Questions To Ask Your Ophthalmologist About LASIK®

 

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If you’ve been considering LASIK as an option for correcting your vision, your next step is to schedule a consultation with a laser center to learn more about the process and whether you are a candidate for the procedure.

Such a consultation is a valuable opportunity to learn not just about the LASIK procedure itself but about the specific center or Ophthalmologist you’re considering. Any decision-making process should include discussing with your doctor the benefits and potential risks that could result from correcting your vision with LASIK.

The American Academy of Ophthalmology suggests a number of questions to ask during a consultation visit. Knowing the answers to these will help you as a patient make a more informed decision about whether you’re a candidate for LASIK and, if you are, how the procedure will affect your quality of life.

Following are just a few of the AAO’s recommended questions:

  • Is this the optimal age and life-stage for me to have LASIK?
  • Are my current (and near future) lifestyle choices – including work, family life and sports/recreation – compatible with LASIK?
  • If LASIK results do not meet my goals, what might be involved in re-treatment?
  • Would any medications I’m taking, either prescription or over-the-counter, rule out LASIK or affect the results?

To view the entire list of suggested questions and discussion topics that might be covered during a consultation, visit the AAO website.

Courtney Carden

For University of Tennessee student Courtney Carden, the choice of a seat in a large classroom was a big deal. “I used to worry about getting to class on time to get a seat up front so I could see.” Since her successful LASIK® procedure at the Campbell Cunningham Laser Center, seat choice is no longer an issue. “Now, I can see things. I can sit wherever I like.”

A public relations major, Carden’s college was compromised by her poor vision. Now, she sees the college world in a whole new way.

“I used to have to concentrate to make sure I got to the right buildings. When my friends were approaching me, I wouldn’t notice them until I got close to them. Now, it’s so much easier being on campus.”

Heading into her junior year in college, Carden has a whole new outlook after LASIK. “I got contacts when I was eight years old. Even every day tasks like taking a shower were difficult. I would wear glasses in the shower just to be able to see the right shampoo bottles. Now, seeing is no longer a worry.”