Effects of Lasik surgery toward opticians

[Nada]

How much has Lasik surgery effected opticians and does anyone know any forcasts for future stats on this issue??

[drk]

Lasik surgery has had a positive impact on opticians. They are less nearsighted now.

[arman61]

Refractive surgery and optician

How much has Lasik surgery effected opticians and does anyone know any forcasts for future stats on this issue??

As an Optician I work with an Ophthalmologist who does at least 1250 LASIk and PRK cases each year. The refractive cases don’t have much of a negative effect on my optical. Sunglass sales have increased since we agreed to include them to procedure fee.

One important point that we all need to remember is that nothing about LASIK or any other Laser Vision correction method is lifetime guarantee. This type of vision correction hasn’t lived long enough so that scientists and doctors can evaluate their results on a long-term basis. Secondly most of today’s Laser Vision Correction methods are very simple, reshaping the front of the eye. Basically it’s like contact lenses that have been customized on the surface of your eye. That doesn’t mean that the eye might not change its shape or power in the long term. If that happens patient might want to try glasses, contact or consult their surgeon regarding an enhancement. Finally not everybody is an excellent candidate for Laser Vision Correction; beside, the glasses industry is most definitely a part of today’s fashion.

[chip anderson]

Just wait til the refractive surgeons find that there is no way they are going to be able to accurately calculate implant powers when those who have been subjected to corneal mutilation have cataracts. The optical field will be a whole new ball game.

If your ophthalmologist is doing 1.2 to 2.4 mil. in refractive surgery alone, why is he piddling in the opthalmic trade?

Chip

[Johns]

Positively, positive!

Most of our customers that have the lasik surgery don't admit they need glasses until quite a few months after the surgery, but when they finally do, instead of getting progressives that they'd wear all the time, they often end up getting two or three pair. One just for "the few times" they need them for night driving, one just for the "few times" when the light for reading is not so good, and one for the "few times" when they need it for their sports. They don't want to admit that there is still an occasional need for glasses because they think that this will be perceived as an unsuccesfull outcome, or that they made the wrong decision. It's been great for our business. The main thing that we do is that when someone shows an interest in lasiks, we direct them to a good MD, and begin letting them know that they'll probably still want glasses, but the need for them will be greatly decreased. This way, they're not dissapointed, and we haven't alienated our customer by telling him that laisks is a bad idea.

[arman61]

concept of total vision

Just wait til the refractive surgeons find that there is no way they are going to be able to accurately calculate implant powers when those who have been subjected to corneal mutilation have cataracts. The optical field will be a whole new ball game.

If your ophthalmologist is doing 1.2 to 2.4 mil. in refractive surgery alone, why is he piddling in the opthalmic trade?

Chip

we are trying to build a facility to cover our patients from all aspects. Glasses,LASIk, cateract or anyother need.

[ikon44]

There has been quite a lot of negative press in this country re: Lasik,the feeling is that the surgeons carrying out the procedure are not always fully experienced and the laser clinics were not giving accurate statistics re post operative complications.
I must admit i thought it was a fairly risk free procedure but i had to revise my opinion when i went onto the website lasermyeye.org lots of scary stories of procedures gone wrong on their deyealogue forum, they also have a lot of useful info about all the different laser ops, as well as a guide to all the possible complications.
If you have a client considering surgery and the only info they have had is the propaganda from the laser clinics you should send them here.

[PAkev]

LASIK has impacted our business very little since most of our patients (an ophthalmology practice) already have some kind of prevailing vision problem.

I would expect the chain retailers to see the biggest impact as a majority of their patients have the least amount of clinical issues preventing them from being candidates for the surgical procedure. As the cost of the surgery has fallen significantly, there are indeed folks lined up to have their eyes zapped out of needing eyewear.

However, I don't think it's going to be too much longer until we begin seeing many of the first and second generation of corrective surgery patients that will have the normal age related vision problems that may now require more specialized vision care. ie. anisometropia, diplopia, etc.

[arman61]

I dont understand

What I don’t understand is why we even worry about this subject. We all know the answer, glasses are forever. Medical or fashion, doesn’t matter we keep selling glasses. I believe the real question can be subjected to us. Only in my area there are 3 chain optical stores. I am worried about my job security being threaten by these stores than LASIK surgeons.