Los Angeles Laser Vision Correction Quality of Life Survey Reviewed By FDA

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--More than 99% of patients reported their quality of life to be as expected or better after laser vision correction surgery, even though 2% report complications that are frequently or always problematic, according to a national patient survey conducted in conjunction with Los Angeles refractive surgeon Dr. Andrew Caster for the nonprofit Council for Refractive Surgery Quality Assurance.

Preliminary results of the patient survey were presented to the US Food and Drug Administration during a special hearing last week. Dr. Caster was one of six doctors throughout the US that surveyed 1,800 vision correction patients. This confidential survey was collected and independently quantified by the Council for Refractive Surgery Quality Assurance.

"This survey has told us, not surprisingly, that the quality of life for the vast majority of patients was to be as expected or better after laser vision correction surgery,” said Dr. Caster. “Even patients who reported complications indicated that they would have the surgery again.”

source: Business Wire

Federal panel seeks clearer warnings on Lasik vision-correction surgery

WASHINGTON - In fury and despair, patients harmed by Lasik eye surgery told federal health advisers Friday of severe eye pain, blurred vision and even a son's suicide. The advisers recommended that the government warn more clearly about the risks of the hugely popular operations.

About 700,000 Americans a year undergo the elective laser surgery. Like golf star and famed Lasik recipient Tiger Woods, they're hoping to throw away their glasses, just as the ads say.

And while the vast majority benefit - most see 20-20 or even better - about one in four people who seeks Lasik is not a good candidate.

source: CBC News

As Economy Slows, So Do Laser Eye Surgeries

Call it the Lasik indicator. With the weak economy forcing consumers to cut back on discretionary spending, the number of laser vision-correction surgeries has been falling — as it did during the last recession.

More than 800,000 Americans underwent Lasik surgery in 2007, a slight increase from 2006. But the numbers started slumping along with the economy in the second half of last year. And industry analysts are now predicting a Lasik recession.

“We’re forecasting a 17 percent drop for 2008,” said David Harmon, president of Market Scope, an eye surgery market research house.

source: BlueRidgeNow.com

Allegretto Wave System Expands the Boundaries of Candidacy for Lasik

HOUSTON, TX--(MARKET WIRE)--Apr 8, 2008 -- As a result of eight years of experience with the Allegretto Excimer Laser Systems, doctors at the International EyeCare Laser Center in Houston have found a dramatic increase in the number of candidates eligible for lasik surgery.

"Not all lasik centers apply the same methods," says Dr. Charles R. Moore, Founder and Medical Director of International EyeCare Laser Center. "Because of our experience with the WaveLight Allegretto system we have a better probability of being able to perform lasik on even the most unlikely candidates."

International EyeCare Laser Center is the only private practice in Houston exclusively dedicated to laser vision correction and uses the WaveLight Allegretto Excimer Laser System, the fastest and most precise laser vision correction treatment available.

source: Yahoo Finance

ASCRS To Participate In and Co-Fund Study on Post-LASIK Quality of Life with U.S. Food and Drug Administration

CHICAGO - (Business Wire) The American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS) today announced that it will participate in a post-LASIK quality of life study with the Joint LASIK Study Task Force, which includes the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the National Eye Institute (NEI), ASCRS and the American Academy of Ophthalmology. ASCRS also announced that the ASCRS Foundation has committed funds to support this effort.

The FDA reaffirms that LASIK is both safe and effective. The Joint LASIK Study Task Force now will examine LASIK’S impact on the quality of patients’ daily lives. Simply defined, quality of life refers to a patient’s ability to perform the activities of daily living, everything from driving, daily routine, family life, career and sports performance, to personal appearance, after LASIK. While the FDA reports that nearly all patients are satisfied with their procedure, the study will seek to qualify LASIK’s benefits and provide greater understanding of the very few patients whose expectations are not met with the procedure, with the goal of identifying ways to enhance patient care.

source: ASCRS.org

Owner of Renton laser eye surgery center sought

LEVI PULKKINEN

State health officials are investigating the owner of a Renton laser eye surgery center after he unexpectedly left town and closed his business more than a month ago.

Dr. Christopher Phillips, owner of Lomas Eye Care Center, shut the doors on his clinic Feb. 29 after telling staff members that they were no longer needed, health officials and former Lomas employees said.

Now, the state Health Department is investigating Phillips after complaints that he canceled appointments without notifying patients and failed to forward medical information to other providers.

Founded by Dr. Richard Lomas, the business, near Valley Medical Center, was one of a few centers in the Seattle area providing laser eye surgery.

source: seattlepi.com

Selecting a Laser Eye Surgeon: Does Experience Matter?

LASIK is one of the most successful medical procedures practiced today, with over 95 % of patients reporting satisfaction with their LASIK results. This is largely because the variables of the LASIK procedure deal largely with optics, one of the most exact sciences. In fact, because of the exactitude of optics, many of the steps in the LASIK operation are becoming completely automated. So, to what extent does experience matter in LASIK surgery?

The Eye Surgery Education Council (ESEC) is a subdivision of the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS). Its stated purpose is to provide patients with accurate, accessible information about laser eye surgery and other refractive surgeries and to promote discussion between patients and physicians.

The ESEC lists experience as one of the key factors in selecting a laser eye surgeon, although it notes that the number of procedures performed and the length of time practicing are only two variables among many to consider.

source: Best Syndication