Is Your Ophthalmologist A Refractive Surgeon?

A refractive surgeon is an ophthalmologist specializing in vision correction, or refractive, procedures to improve vision and decrease or eliminate the need for a patient to rely on glasses or contacts to see well.

Ophthalmologists who specialize in refractive surgery are board certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology and have completed additional training in vision correction procedures, technologies and techniques. Some have advanced certifications and degrees, may teach at the local medical university and participate in clinical research.

Ophthalmologist using-zeiss-microscope-1200Refractive surgeons perform procedures – such as LASIK, lens implants and cataract surgery – to adjust the focusing ability of their patients’ eyes. They can reshape the cornea or implant a lens inside the eye to correct a variety of common vision problems, such as myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism or cataracts. For instance:

LASIK, SMILE, and PRK are surgical procedures that use lasers to permanently change the shape of the cornea. LASIK is one of the most popular procedures refractive surgeons perform to correct these vision problems, according to the Refractive Surgery Council. Newer lens technologies can also correct other refractive errors.

If you have vision problems and are thinking about having LASIK, schedule a consultation with a qualified ophthalmologist specializing in refractive surgery. In our next post, we’ll tell you how to prepare for your consultation and what to expect when you meet with the surgeon.

Published November 2, 2015
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