Different Certifications for
Lasik, PRK, LASEK, Epi-Lasik, etc., Refractive Surgeons
"Certification" by
a laser manufacturer is not a certification in the traditional sense.
This means only that the doctor attended a course on the operation of
a particular laser, such course could have been as little as a weekend
seminar. At most, certification by a laser manufacturer affirms the
doctor knows how to operate the machine.
The American Board
of Ophthalmology (ABO)
does not provide any evaluation specific to
refractive surgery. ABO certification is valid for a lifetime if
the doctor was certified before 1992, or 10 years if certified after
1992. In relation to conventional or custom
wavefront
Lasik,
PRK,
LASEK,
Epi-Lasik, or other refractive surgery techniques, ABO certification
would be conspicuous by its absence, but not terribly important by its
presence. The ABO certification does a good job of affirming a doctor
has learned what was taught.
The American Board
of Eye Surgeons (ABES)
is an ophthalmic group that provides procedure-specific certification.
They have peer-reviewed certification for Lasik, but not PRK, LASEK,
CK, or Epi-Lasik. The ABES certification for cataract surgery would
be relevant to
RLE. ABES Lasik certification is valid for seven years. ABES certification
affirms that a doctor is able to practice what has been taught.
The Council for Refractive
Surgery Quality Assurance (CRSQA, www.USAEyes) is a nonprofit
consumer/patient organization that evaluates a doctor based upon actual
patient outcomes. After an initial evaluation of consecutive patients,
the doctor is reevaluated every three months based upon patient input.
Another consecutive patient outcome evaluation is performed about every
other year. CRSQA certification affirms in an ongoing manner that a
doctor is currently providing patient outcomes at or above the norm.
Click
for patient outcomes details.
Every prospective patient
should consider the relevance and value of these and other certifications
the doctor may have achieved.
If you are ready to
choose a doctor to be evaluated for conventional or custom wavefront
Lasik, All-Laser Lasik, PRK, LASEK, Epi-Lasik, CK, RLE, or any refractive
surgery procedure, we highly recommend you consider a doctor who has
been evaluated and certified by the USAEyes nonprofit organization.
Locate a USAEyes Evaluated & Certified Lasik Laser Eye Surgery
Doctor.
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