Newspaper & Magazine Articles Distinctly Unflattering or Strongly Negative About Laser Vision Correction Any consumer product, drug, or surgical procedure that becomes as popular as LASIK may unfortunately result in imperfect, unexpected, or undesirable consequences on rare occasion. These situations may lead to disappointment (or worse) on the part of affected individuals, and incur some scrutiny or even strong criticism in the press. As with any criticism, some is probably deserved.
When it comes to LASIK, some patients might have done better never having had surgery. Some doctors probably ought not to be performing this surgery. Some patients may suffer unanticipated visual side effects even though they had meticulous surgery by a competent provider.
Those of us that have dedicated a significant portion of our surgical careers to laser vision correction know that all patients that seek this care may not receive proper evaluation, good advice, proper informed consent, perfect surgical care, and good aftercare. We try to tell those to whom we offer consultative opinions to be aware that there are significant differences in quality among providers.
As providers of this care, we have a bias strongly in favor of proper evaluation, adequate informed consent, and meticulous surgical care. In the interest of offering some balance of perspective to those seeking information and guidance, we present here some of the adverse press reportage (the “bad news”) that has appeared.
LASIK Info Center is a non-profit entity organized by a group of ophthalmologists, optometrists, refractive surgery patients, scientists and concerned members of the public, intending to provide useful information about refractive surgery to the public. They offer some rather good advice about unethical marketing practices used by certain providers and laser centers. In addition, they offer legal resources to those who feel that they have received either poor care or suboptimal vision as a result of LASIK. 12/02/05 - LVI Settles False Advertising Lawsuit . LVI, a national corporate-owned chain of laser centers, settled a suit brough by the Illinois Attorney General related to false and deceptive advertising. LVI settled for an undisclosed amount in this suit about misleading advertising using the "as low as $499 per eye" pricing offer without clarification that it might not apply to the majority of patients seeking laser vision correction care.
12/20/04 - Living With LASIK a 2-part series by Fox News Chicago News reporter Mark Saxenmeyer. Part 1 discusses specific patients that claim to have had significant problems as a result of LASIK, while part 2 investigates assertions of inadequate treatment accuracy by one laser, the Alcon LADARVision 4000.
07/22/03 - Trying to Get LVI's Advertised Rates for LASIK? Good Luck. An ABC Action News report on the "bait and switch" practices of a Florida chain of LASIK centers that offers teaser rates for LASIK "starting as low as $299 per eye".
06/02/02 - Laser Eye Center Founder Indicted, Convicted, Sentenced reprinted from the Los Angeles Times 01/14/02 - Lawsuits Mount for LASIK reprinted from the Los Angeles Times |