subject: Laser Eye Surgery - What You Should Do If The Surgery Does Not Prove To Be A Success [print this page] Laser eye surgery is a technique that was first introduced in the early 1990's. Since its launch it has become increasingly popular in the UK and currently over 10,000 procedures are performed every week. The dramatic increase in the demand for the treatment can be attributed to various celebrity endorsements and the aggressive competition in the market, allowing the procedure to be offered at discounted prices.
These factors coupled with promises that people who are currently dependant on glasses or contact lenses can literally throw them away and expect perfect results with little or no complications have caused a surge in the demand for the technique. Although Laser Eye surgery is increasing in popularity and the majority of procedures are successful, it has been alleged that many clinics are making exaggerated claims for the procedure and are misleading customers about the success rates. Some clinics are highlighting a low risk of complications, whilst others say that risk is non-existent.
However, the Medical journal Ophthalmology states that the failure rate for the treatment is one in 10, not the one in 1,000 as is widely advertised. It has been discovered that Patients undergoing laser eye surgery are not always told about the risks they could be taking with their sight. Although it is not necessary for a doctor to warn a patient of every risk they have a duty to inform patients of likely risks or those risks for which the outcome could be very grave. The growth of laser eye surgery has lead to a tidal wave of litigation against eye specialists. Claims against doctors belonging to the Medical Defence Union (MDU) which is the largest insurer of UK doctors, have increased by 166% in the last 6 years, and now account for a third of all ophthalmology claims.
The MDU have said that the majority of claims are centred on patients unrealistic expectations about what could be achieved from the procedure. Surgical error can amount for a number of serious problems, as can failure by the doctor to carry out the appropriate screening to identify existing risk factors. Complications following treatment can range from relatively minor problems such as pain and sensitivity, to catastrophic complications such as corneal scarring or even blindness.
Investigations carried out by Health Which? revealed that doctors are able to carry out a treatment after just a few days of training and they do not need to have a specialist qualification. Complication rates vary between different surgeons and clinics. Therefore, if you are a prospective patient, you should find out as much as possible about the surgeon likely to carry out the operation and should ask questions like: What are the complication rates of the clinic? What are the complication rates of the surgeon performing the procedure? What will happen if something goes wrong? Will I see the surgeon again?
If you or someone you know has suffered an injury as a result of laser eye surgery, you may have grounds to pursue an eye surgery negligence claim to recover financial compensation for the injury or loss suffered.
