Questions To Ask Your Eye Surgeon by Kathryn Dawson

When you have opted to have eye surgery, pre-surgery nerves are likely to set in. Although the procedure is extremely quick and very safe, it is normal to have jitters before you go in. To ensure that these nerves are kept to a minimum you need to feel confident about the surgeon performing the operation and be sure that the treatment is being performed by the best. In order to give you this peace of mind there are a few questions you can ask your surgeon or eye doctor in the run up to the surgery. These questions are outlined below.

Question 1 - What are your qualifications?

This is one of the most important questions to ask if you want to ensure the person doing your operation is competent. Ideally, the website of the hospital you are choosing will have displayed the qualifications of each and every doctor and surgeon on their staff. That way you can quickly and easily access the information. If the information is not there or you want to know more you can ask the doctors and surgeons directly.

Question 2 - How long have you been performing surgery?

This is a good question to ask because it gives you an idea of their level of experience. If they are very new to the field then you may prefer to ask for someone more experienced to carry out your surgery, although so long as the surgeon has the required qualifications you will no doubt be in the very safest of hands.

Questions 3 - How many similar procedures have you performed?

This is another great way to gauge experience. The higher the number the better in this instance. If you feel that you would rather have someone more experienced then you can always ask to be treated by someone else. When it comes to having surgery of any kind you want to be sure that you are being treated by someone with a high skill and knowledge level.

Question 4 - Who will be dealing with the pre-surgical procedures and after care?

Sometimes different physicians will handle the pre and post surgery care to the doctor or surgeon performing the surgery. Often patients prefer to deal with just one doctor however throughout the entire procedure. When choosing an eye hospital you can make this a prerequisite if this sounds like you.

No doubt there will be other questions you want to ask before deciding upon eye surgery. Asking questions is a good idea, even if you think they are "stupid questions" because you want to feel confident and happy to proceed. If you are unsure of anything before you go in you are likely to be nervous and slightly unsure. It is not just the surgeon that you need to have confidence in but the whole hospital itself. When looking for a place to have eye treatment done, make sure you choose a facility that you feel happy with. Ask to see the treatment room if you can and make sure they have a professional looking website. It can also be a good idea to read some testimonials, even speak to previous patients if this is at all possible. If you know anyone who has had surgery in the past you should speak to them to find out about their experience and seek recommendations of hospitals and surgeons.

Whatever treatment you are having done, you should feel confident when you go into surgery. Eye surgery is extremely safe and is very effective at dealing with a number of problems. Glaucoma surgery and surgery for dealing with eye cataracts are particularly safe and effective. Make sure you are happy with your eye hospital and eye surgeon before proceeding with treatment by asking the questions above alongside any others you may have.