One of the very first things you need to do when searching for a local iLASIK doctor is check for the experience. Find out how many iLASIK surgeries this doctor has performed, how long he or she has specialized in this type of refractive eye procedure and also learn what their success rate has been. Both of our surgeons Dr. Terrence Spencer and Dr. Stephen Khachikian each have over ten years in Laser Vision Correction and have performed thousands of iLASIK and PRK surgeries with excellent patient outcomes. Our patient’s success rate is 97%
The chances are you know someone who has had LASIK or PRK eye surgery performed. Ask your friends, family or acquaintances who they have used and if they recommend the doctor who improved their vision. Dr. Scott Schirber and others on our LASIK staff have had the procedure and are happy to share the experience with you.
You may get a good feel for whether you have chosen the right doctor right from your initial consultation. The more thorough the exam and questioning, the more you can feel you can trust this doctor. If you are in and out in what seems like record time, then it is normal not to feel comfortable and wonder if the surgeries are treated like an assembly line as well. The consultations at the Eye Institute usually take 1 hour 45 min. We will measure your pupil size, conduct an iDESIGN diagnostic evaluation, which provides a fingerprint of your eye, perform a Pentacam test to map the shape, contour, and thickness of your cornea. Perform a cyclo dilated examination to see the total health of your eye and test your eye pressure.
The right iLASIK doctor will ask you as many questions as you ask him, if not more. He will want to know your complete medical history, any kind of medications you may be taking and how your vision problems have progressed over the years. The right doctor will also be upfront and honest with you. He will tell you that LASIK surgery can only fix existing problems and is not able to combat the natural aging of the eyes, meaning you may end up needing reading glasses later in life. If you are already at this point of needing reading glasses, we also have options including Monovision, Raindrop & Kamra
He will also give you a thorough eye examination to determine if LASIK in Rapid City at the Eye Institute is right for you. If it is, feeling confident in your choice of doctor is of the utmost importance. You can go into the surgery feeling both excited and confident at the same time, knowing a whole new visual world awaits you.
