Choosing a Surgeon
Your decision to have laser or surgical vision correction is a very important, life-changing issue that should be taken seriously and investigated thoroughly. It is important to choose a practice, doctor and procedure that emphasize safety and quality.
Here is a check-list to help you evaluate your options and compare our laser vision correction services with other practices. Be sure to ask your laser vision surgeon the following questions:
Do you offer NuSite™ Advanced Surface Ablation?
NuSite is the most advanced surface laser technique available |
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Have you personally performed thousands of microsurgical, laser and refractive procedures?
There is no substitute for experience when trusting a surgeon with your vision. Dr. Garrett has performed thousands of procedures |
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Are your surgeons involved from pre-op to post-op follow up care?
Not just "involved" or "available" or "directing" the care |
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Do you allow other, lesser trained eye care practitioners, such as optometrists, to refer their patients to you for surgery in exchange for doing the pre and post-operative care themselves?
In this all-too-common practice, the surgeon shares a portion of his fee with the referring practitioner; it may be legal but it's not in your best interests and it's not how we "operate" at VB Eye Center! |
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| Do you advocate advanced surface laser vision procedures for most patients in order to avoid flap-related complications such as dry eye, traumatic displacement, progressive corneal thinning, epithelial ingrowth, etc.? |
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Do you use the latest technology including true customized wavefront guided treatment, iris registration, pupil centroid shift compensation, variable spot scanning, variable repetition rate, active three-dimensional tracking, passive tracking, epi-Lasik technology and Fourier analysis of wavefront data?
A thorough exam by a surgeon is critical. It will determine if you are a good candidate and which procedure or technology is best for your individual situation. |
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| Do you use advanced pharmacotherapy to prevent pain, reduce inflammation, speed recovery and prevent haze formation? |
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| Do you have over 20 years' experience in refractive and lens implant surgery including the very first techniques such as radial and astigmatic keratotomy, automated lamellar keratoplasty, photorefractive keratectomy and also the latest techniques such as Lasik, NuSite™ Advanced Surface Ablation, Limbal Relaxing Incisions, refractive lens exchange and Crystalens AO? |
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| Have you been published in the major ophthalmic literature such as Ophthalmology, American Journal of Ophthalmology, Journal of Clinical Neuroophthalmology, Journal of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery? |
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Do you have the moral character to guide a patient away from a procedure when it is not in their best interest? |
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Have you been and continue to be involved in research to improve results? |
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Have you been involved in academic medicine, teaching ophthalmology residents?
Dr. Garrett is previous Assistant Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology at Eastern Virginia Medical School and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. |
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Have you been a leader in state and local medical societies?
Dr. Garrett is previous Associate Director of the Medical Society of Virginia and Past President of the Virginia Beach Medical Society |
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Have you been a consultant for professional or national sports teams?
Dr. Garrett was team eye surgeon for the Hampton Roads Admirals hockey team and the U.S. National Field Hockey team |
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Have you received awards for medical excellence?
Dr. Garrett has been awarded multiple Consumers Research Council awards for Best Ophthalmologist in Cataract and Refractive Surgery and has several times been named a "Top Doc" in a survey of his peers conducted annually by Hampton Roads Magazine. |
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