Calls for tighter regulation on the laser eye industry

Further to a report calling for tighter regulations in the laser eye sector, Ian appeared as an expert guest on BBC Radio Scotland to discuss the procedure. At the moment anyone who is a qualified doctor, such as a GP, can perform laser eye surgery without any specialist eye training.The feature also follows protests this week by individuals who feel they have experienced ‘botched’ laser eye surgery, reiterating calls for tighter regulation.

Ian discussed what is involved in laser eye surgery, a process where the front of the eye is reshaped to change the prescription. In an industry that is currently booming, he pointed out that it takes regulators time to catch up and this is what is required in this case. He also discussed the lack of transparency in a sector where private companies are not obliged to publish their statistics so the estimate that around one in twenty people experience problems with the procedure, could in fact be higher.

The advice from Ian is to make sure you fully research your specific surgeon, not just the clinic. Check out their training, reputation and experience in the specific area and ensure that you are always treated by that individual. In addition, ask your own optometrist for a recommendation before undertaking a procedure, which if it goes wrong, could leave you with permanent eye damage.

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