The short answer is YES. Eye Surgeons have LASIK.
Over 700,000 LASIK procedures are performed in the U.S. each year, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology. In total, more than 12 million patients in the U.S. and over 30 million worldwide have chosen LASIK surgery to restore vision with a remarkable level of success. Patients report a 95.4% satisfaction rate; a fact from researchers at the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, who examined 19 separate LASIK reviews from around the world to determine overall satisfaction. The highly popular procedure speaks volumes about its technological advances, safety and effectiveness.
People from all walks of life—including athletes, barbers (yes, barbers), contractors, doctors, nurses, lawyers, paramedics, police officers, school teachers, soldiers, students, and stay-at-home parents and grandparents—can affirm the improvements in their quality of life that come with seeing clearly without glasses or contacts.
But, what about LASIK surgeons having LASIK? A study published in the September 2015 Journal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery polled 250 practicing LASIK surgeons. Results proved that these surgeons highly endorsed LASIK, the majority having the procedure themselves and performing the surgery on their own family members. The study reported over 60% of those surgeons had refractive surgery and more than 90% of these doctors recommended LASIK for their loved ones.
Let’s ask a skilled LASIK surgeon. While we’re at it, let’s ask a badass barber too!
She was never going to have LASIK…until she did. The question that nagged Dr. Jennifer Melton while she was a nearsighted young surgeon in training: Would you trust a LASIK surgeon who wears glasses? Dr. Melton, now a board-certified ophthalmologist at Mann Eye Institute, had decided she probably would never have LASIK surgery despite her poor vision. After all, she considered, her career depended on her ability to perform surgery that requires precision vision as much as a steady surgical hand. So she remained in her comfort zone using her glasses and contacts.
Never say never, right? Six months into an intense LASIK fellowship, Dr. Melton began rethinking her perspective. Long nights studying combined with even longer days on hospital rotation made her contact lenses burn her eyes. And her glasses gave her a headache.
In her studies and clinical rotations, Dr. Melton learned a thing or two about wearing contacts. For example, leading researchers concluded that contact lens users are more likely to develop complications that lead to vision loss over time than patients who have LASIK surgery. At the same time, the ophthalmology textbooks came to life before her eyes with real-life training with world-class LASIK surgeons. She noted patient after patient experiencing life-changing results after vision correction surgery. For Dr. Melton, “never” turned to “yes”. “Working day in and day out with all the surgeons and patients just convinced me that I would be better off personally and professionally after LASIK,” she said.
Eight years later, Dr. Melton has now performed thousands of LASIK procedures in her career (and with 20/15 vision, thanks to her own surgery). “I’m grateful every day to have the vision I have. And I am grateful to be able to help other people achieve the vision they desire as well.”
What About the Other Opthomologists at Mann Eye Institute?
Let’s also meet young Luke Barker, a middle school basketball star, fierce at the three-point line. Only trouble is the glasses. They’re not fierce. Basketball and glasses just don’t play well together. So he switched to contacts. But they were uncomfortable, dried out easily and would move on his eyes during the game, causing his vision to blur. Luke’s passion for ophthalmology started on the court, not in college biology class or medical school.
Today, Dr. Luke Barker, now also a board-certified ophthalmologist, loves performing LASIK at Mann Eye Institute. Dr. Barker also loves a challenge. Into the practice walks a persistent 29-year-old barber covered in tattoos and extremely nearsighted. This barber’s glasses could make patrons think twice about letting him anywhere near their face with a straight-edge razor blade.
Over the years, he was told on three different occasions that he was not a good candidate for LASIK. Between his thin corneas and complicated prescription, he couldn’t find a doctor willing to work on his eyes. Until he met Dr. Barker, who believed he could help. What happened? Surgery success and a lot of joyful tears shared with the badass barber who was experiencing something he had dreamed about his entire life—clear vision without glasses.
LASIK Surgery Today
Technology has evolved so rapidly in the last decade, even in the last five years, that people who were not good candidates before, are now solid candidates for laser vision correction surgery. LASIK surgery offers an effective solution for both nearsightedness and farsightedness. Recent developments in technology mean that those who suffer from higher-order vision problems, such as halos and astigmatism, can also enjoy significantly improved vision in one 10-minute procedure.
At Mann Eye Institute, we are at the forefront of research and development for all kinds of vision correction surgeries. Talk to US if you want to know if LASIK is right for YOU. A free consultation with one of our many experts at Mann Eye Institute awaits your eyes. Take it from Dr. Barker: “After LASIK, people can obviously see better and that’s great. They certainly don’t have to take my word for it that they are better off afterwards. They can see it with their own eyes.”