|
| |
Double
Carding For
Lasik, PRK, LASEK, Epi-Lasik, etc.
Double carding is a controversial
and possibly illegal technique to perform refractive surgery beyond
the
FDA approved parameters of the
excimer lasers. All excimer laser have limitations of treatment
imposed by the FDA. These limitations may be significantly less
than what a doctor may consider to be appropriate care.
The manner by which some
excimer lasers are controlled is with a card similar to a credit
card that the doctor purchases from the laser manufacturer. The
card allows the doctor to provide a single treatment and only within
the FDA approved parameters. If a doctor believes that treatment
beyond the FDA approved amount is appropriate, the doctor will exchange
the first card for a second card and continue the treatment.
Let's say that you have
18.00
diopters of
myopia and the laser the doctor uses is only allowed to treat
up to 12.00 diopters of myopia. The doctor will start the surgery
with card number one and do 12.00 diopters of correction. Then,
without you moving, the doctor replaces card one with card two and
performs the additional 6.00 diopters of treatment.
The legality of this technique
is unclear. The doctors who double card state that they are essentially
doing two surgeries and at worst this is an
off-label use of the device. One surgery with card one and one
surgery with card two. They further argue that it is better for
the patient to have both surgeries done consecutively than to have
the patient come back in a month for the second 6.00 diopters of
correction.
If you choose to allow your
doctor to double card you, understand that this is not in
the spirit of the FDA limitations, may be illegal, and certainly
is questionable. The attempted correction has not been scrutinized
by the FDA and probable outcomes are unknown.
If you are ready to
choose a doctor to be evaluated for conventional or custom wavefront
Lasik, Bladeless Lasik, PRK, LASEK, Epi-Lasik, 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.
|
Consider
and Choose With Confidence
Last updated Saturday,
August 18, 2012
|
