Choose the right procedure.

There are a number of different types of laser eye surgery procedures, and not all eye surgery types are created equal. You may not be a candidate for Lasik, but you could be ideal for PRK surgery. IT's important to get a complete exam from your eye doctor. Tell him you would like to have eye surgery, and he or she will exam the shape of your eyes, your current condition, and other factors and tell you which type of surgery is right for you.

Choose your doctor wisely.

The doctor who performs your eye surgery will be different from your regular ophthalmologist. A good, experienced doctor will make all the difference and give you the most positive eye results.

You can also go to the American Academy of Ophthalmology's website (www.aao.org), where you can use the Find an Eye MD feature, selecting "refractive surgery", for listings of certified surgeon in your area.

When choosing a doctor, it's important to ask for recommendations. Ask your eye doctor, friends, or coworkers who have had the procedure if they would recommend their doctor.

A few things to ask your potential eye surgeon include:

• How long have you been performing this type of surgery? (Make sure he or she has been in practice for at least three years.)


• How many procedures have you done? (Avoid any doctor who has done less than 500.)


• What percentage of your patients receive 20/40 or better after surgery? (Should be around 90%, which is the norm.)


• Can you provide references of patients who have had the same surgery as me, with a similar refractive error?

Another important way to ensure you have positive eye surgery results is to follow all the instructions your doctor gives you after your surgery. This will typically include:

• No driving. Most of the time, you will not be able to drive in the first 48 hours after the procedure. When you start back up, it will only be in short periods of time.


• Take time off work. This is particularly important if you work a job where your eyes are strained looking at a computer all day. Your doctor will let you know for your situation.


• Go to all appointments. Your doctor will schedule post operative exams to check the healing of your procedure. It is important that you go to each of these.


• Don't touch your eye. It is important after surgery not to touch your eye or let anything near it for a certain amount of time after the surgery to let it heal completely. You should also wear the protective goggles you are given, no matter how unattractive they may seem.