Corporate medicine has its benefits and its downfalls. In
regards to the refractive surgery field, there are more downfalls to a
corporate practice than there are benefits. Last week we discussed the availability
of other vision correction procedures and why this is important. This week we
will look at technology.
Technological
Differences
LASIK has been around since the late 1990s, and since then,
technology has been improved, advanced, and refined, all to increase the
customer experience. There are many options today for LASIK technology, some
still using a metal blade while others are 100% blade-free. While all of the
technology is safe for your eyes, the benefits of the newest technology often
reduces the risk of side-effects and may result in faster healing times.
If you want the optimal outcome for your eyes, selecting a
doctor that uses the most advanced and latest equipment is the best option. However,
not all doctors have access to this equipment. Take doctors that work at a
corporate LASIK practice, for example. They don’t even get to choose which
equipment they use to perform your procedure. They have to use the equipment
provided to them by their board of directors. They may know the convenience and
benefits of newer technology, but they have no say when it comes to what they
get to use.
In contrast, a doctor who owns his/her own practice gets to
choose the technology they use in their practice. They have 100% authority over
what tools and technology goes into the practice. This makes them accountable
to their patients and the patients’ outcomes. If they provide inadequate
technology and the outcomes aren’t the best, they’ll lose out on new patients.
Not all doctors will provide the best technology. Some
doctors don’t want to make the investment so they will continue to use outdated
technology on their patients. When you visit a new LASIK practice, make sure to
ask about the technology that the doctor will use. Understand your options and
why that doctor chose the technology that they use at that practice. The
technology and the doctor’s previous patient outcomes may mean the difference
between an exceptional LASIK experience, and something else.
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