Choosing a LASIK surgeon

LASIK Vision Correction in Atlanta, Georgia

There are a lot of LASIK surgeons in Atlanta who are offering you their services. It can be difficult for people without medical training to choose from among the many different options they have. Choosing your LASIK surgeon is an important decision because it involves the quality of your vision results and possibly the safety of your procedure, and it should not be made lightly.

Fortunately, there are a few simple questions and important elements you should keep in mind that will help you make an informed decision. We're confident that these considerations will lead you to choose experienced Atlanta LASIK surgeon Dr. J. Trevor Woodhams and the highly trained staff at Woodhams Eye Clinic for all your LASIK needs.

Experience

The first factor you should always have in mind when choosing a LASIK surgeon is experience. When choosing a doctor who is going to be operating on your eyes you want someone who has years of experience with LASIK procedures.

At your consultation with the LASIK surgeon, don't be afraid to ask detailed questions about his or her experience such as:

• How long have you been performing the procedure?
• How many LASIK procedures have you performed?
• Has anything ever gone wrong during a procedure? How did you handle it?

Dr. Woodhams is one of the nation's leading LASIK surgeons, a pioneer in the field. He participated in the world's first LASIK study and was the first in the state of Georgia to perform blade free laser correction.

Board Certification and Educational Service

One concrete measure of a LASIK surgeon's dedication to his or her patients and field of practice is board certification. Board certification is not a meaningless title. When a doctor is board certified it means he or she has completed extensive relevant residency programs and passed a series of rigorous examinations set down by the board in question.

Board-certified doctors also have to work to maintain their certification, which means they're up to date on the latest in techniques and technology.

Another way to measure a doctor's ability is to see if they've served at accredited medical schools as professors. The doctors medical schools trust to teach their students tend to be some of the most experienced and accomplished in the field.

Dr. Woodhams is board certified by the National Board of Medical Examiners, served as an associate clinical professor of ophthalmology at Emory University and is a Fellow at the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery.

Comfort Level

Your consultation with your prospective LASIK surgeon is important because it's an excellent chance for you to get to know the doctor a little better. While the doctor's experience and skill are the crucial factors, it's also important that you feel comfortable with the LASIK surgeon and his or her staff.

Ask about LASIK risks and what the doctor does to minimize them. See if the doctor has patient testimonials he or she can offer you. You should use these early meetings as an opportunity to get a feel for what the experience of being a patient at the office will feel like.

Dr. Woodhams will be happy to use his decades of experience as a LASIK surgeon to explain the procedure to you and walk you through what you can expect.

If you're looking for a skilled, experienced LASIK surgeon in the Atlanta, Georgia area, please contact Woodhams Eye Clinic today to arrange a consultation.