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Around 100.000 people have laser surgery each year
Consumer experts have warned that patients undergoing laser eye surgery are not
being told about the risks they could be taking with their sight.
Laser surgery, which can cost thousands of pounds, is increasingly popular.But the investigation by Health Which? also reveals any doctor can carry out the
treatment after just a few days of training - they do not need a specialist qualification.
The magazine also found complication rates vary between surgeons and clinics.
Around 100,000 people, tired of wearing glasses or contact lenses, undergo corrective
laser eye surgery in the UK every year.
While some people will be able to throw away their glasses, this won't be the case
for everyone
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Sue Freeman, Health Which?
The procedure is seen as quick and simple, and has received many celebrity endorsements.Health
Which? looked at clinics offering the Lasik procedure - the most popular
on offer.But
whilst some highlight a low risk of complications with the procedure, others
say the risk is non-existent.
'Misleading adverts'
In very rare cases, complications can lead to corneal ectasia, where fluid pressure
builds up on the eye.Patients can need a corneal transplant to correct the condition.Other complications, though deemed "minor" by clinics, occur "relatively frequently",
according to a review by the American Academy of Ophthalmology.
Patients can experience dry eyes or night vision problems, which can affect ability
to drive or work in the evening or in dim light.Health Which? also says that the Medical Defence Union and the Medical Protection
Society, both doctors' insurance companies, are raising the fees they charge doctors
working in this field because of increased compensation claims by patients.
Questions
David Gartry, a consultant ophthalmologist at Moorfields Eye Hospital has helped
draw up Royal College of Ophthalmologist' guidelines on who should carry out laser
eye surgery.
The guidelines say that only doctors with specialist training should carry out the
procedure.
Mr Gartry told BBC News Online patients should find out as much as possible about
the surgeon likely to carry out their operation.
"This is a situation where patients are responding to adverts, or even incentives.
"Patients should be asking the sort of questions they would ask if they were having,
say, a hernia operation.
"What are the complication rates? What will happen if something goes wrong? Will
I see the surgeon again?"
Dan Reinstein, who is developing safety guidelines for the Medical Protection Society,
added: "Expert surgeons are better equipped to avoid complications even if they
have not previously seen them."And when these do occur, trained experts will have the knowledge and ability to
correct them."
'Highest clinical standards'
Sue Freeman, managing editor of Health Which?, said: "Patients shouldn't be taken
in by claims about the safety and success rates of laser eye surgery and in particular
about so called 'minor complications'.
"While some people will be able to throw away their glasses, this won't be the case
for everyone."
She added: "Patients should be fully informed of the possible risks and of the complication
rates of clinics and individual surgeons.
"Until patients are able to make informed choice, they need to do a lot of research
and ask a lot of hard questions of surgeons and clinics."
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