Laser Eye Surgery Guidelines Released

BOSTON -- Millions of Americans with less than perfect vision are eyeing laser surgery to see clearly.

But a group of eye surgeons has a warning and new guidelines to help you weigh the decision.

Phyllis Farmelant will have LASIK -- a surgical procedure that corrects nearsightedness by permanently reshaping the cornea. Her doctor, Ernest Kornmehl, assures her she'll see excellent results.

"When I asked him if I was a good candidate, he said, 'There are no good candidates or bad candidates. Either you're a candidate or you're not,'" Farmelant said.

But according to a recent Harris Survey, over half of those polled incorrectly believed that anyone with poor vision was a candidate for LASIK, and that skilled surgeons were unnecessary.

The American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons responded Tuesday with guidelines spelling out the critical steps to determine ideal candidates.

"The patients can determine whether or not the procedure makes sense for them and feel more secure about going ahead with it if in fact they feel it is right for them," Harvard Medical School Dr. Roger Steinert said.

The guidelines caution consumers that they first should always be given a comprehensive eye exam by an ophthalmologist, meet the actual surgeon beforehand, and ask questions, like is my cornea too thin or are my pupils too big.

Kornmehl thinks pupil size is key.

"If you take two patients, one with 3-millimeter pupils and one with 6.5-millimeter pupils, and they have the exact same results, that person with the larger pupil isn't going to see as well at night. Not that that's a problem, but the patient has to know that ahead of time," Kornmehl said.

The guidelines, most importantly, help patients set realistic expectations.

"I'm going to do away with my contact lenses, and I will have much better distance vision," Farmelant said.

Experts caution that there are many types of doctors performing LASIK, and they suggest you see a corneal specialist because they know the intricacies of the eye and can detect very subtle abnormalities that may change the outcome of your procedure.