Categories

It may not be a surprise for you to hear that the quality of technology used in LASIK matters a great deal. I’d imagine there are fields where technology plays a lesser role, but it’s hard to think of any. Maybe doing charcoal sketches, seems like it wouldn’t be influenced much by technological advancement. But the question today isn’t if technology is important when choosing a LASIK surgeon, the question is instead how important is technology.

What To Look For

The answer to this question could be more of a surprise. The technology a LASIK surgeon is using — once you’ve crossed a certain threshold of safety and efficacy — isn’t the most important part of picking a surgeon. There are instances where a LASIK practice may have the newest technology available, but it might be better to keep looking.

No matter what technological marvels a surgeon has at their command, it matters more that they care how those tools are wielded. Technology can’t replace the importance of listening to specific problems and understanding what’s needed to help. It’s possible for a surgeon to see you as a person, and treat you with the honesty and kindness to match. It’s also possible you’ll be seen as an (inconvenient at times) owner of the eyes the surgeon is operating on.

Keeping Up With The LASIK Technology

In addition, the newest technology in refractive surgery is a bit of a two-sided coin. Newer often equals better, but not always. There are examples of “new and improved” procedures and machines in refractive surgery that turned out to only be new. In fact, they were equal or worse to the tech that was already available. There is a sweet spot for technology in refractive surgery where early trials and then primary adoption are both complete, and we have a “new and improved” technology that lives up to the title.

You shouldn’t have to worry about keeping up with what LASIK technology is old, new, or too new. There are refractive surgeons who spend their whole careers doing just that. It’s part of the reason the honesty and kindness of a LASIK practice stand above any other attribute when you’re choosing a LASIK surgeon. You should try to find a place where you feel comfortable knowing how their technology will work for you — because the technology is generally important, but only in how it is relevant to help you specifically.