Stephen Updegraff, MD -- St. Pete Times Article misleading
Posted on Fri, Sep 11, 2009 @ 11:26 AM
If you saw the recent article on Tampabay.com or in the St. Pete Times, please note that it is misleading to the hundreds of thousands of patients contemplating a refractive surgical option to their contacts or glasses. The title and content, as well as the poorly designed consumer reports article insinuate that LASIK only works 50% of the time. As I shared in my interview, a LASIK surgeon could not exist with such a high "failure" rate since most of us rely primarily on "word of mouth" for future patients. Even the earliest FDA clinical trial results (which do not take retreatment into account) reveal 100% 20/40 or better with one treatment.
The alleged findings do not comport with what we see daily with our patients. The message being sent is not only flawed date, but it is wrong. If a patient is an excellent LASIK candidate, their choice should be contacts, glasses or LASIK. Blaming natural aging changes, that occur when you wear glasses or contacts, solely on LASIK is truly ludicrous.
In the current economic climate, patients are realizing the "savings" that one can achieve with LASIK over the long haul - no glasses, sunglass prescriptions, contact lenses, and multiple doctor visits for prescription changes. I find it odd that neither you nor the Consumer Reports "expert" explored this.
Granted, I am a LASIK surgeon, but I am an eye MD first, and I know I speak for other surgeons in saying the safety and satisfaction of our patients is first and foremost in our thoughts and actions. It is an insult to my training and profession to be portrayed otherwise. I invite you and the "experts" from Consumer Reports to observe our pre-operative screening and see a variety of patients from 1 day post op to 10 years post op.