The consultation is your most important opportunity to evaluate a surgeon before consenting to an irreversible procedure. Come prepared with questions that reveal clinical judgment and transparency — not just logistics.
Questions That Reveal the Most About Surgeon Quality
About candidacy:
- “Am I a good candidate, and what specific measurements support that?”
- “Are there any findings that give you pause about operating on me?”
- “Would you recommend against surgery on me under any circumstances?”
A surgeon who answers these with specific data — corneal thickness, topography pattern, prescription stability — is demonstrating genuine assessment. Vague reassurances are a warning sign.
About outcomes and experience:
- “What is your personal complication rate for this procedure?”
- “What is your enhancement or retreatment rate?”
- “How many procedures like mine have you performed?”
These are the questions most patients skip and most surgeons are never challenged on. A high-quality surgeon can answer with specifics.
About the procedure recommendation:
- “Why this procedure and not an alternative?”
- “Is my treatment wavefront-guided, wavefront-optimized, or topography-guided, and why?”
About post-operative care:
- “What does your follow-up schedule look like?”
- “What is your enhancement policy, and can I have it in writing?”
- “If I have an issue between appointments, how do I reach the surgeon directly?”
About the facility:
- “Is this surgical center AAAHC or Joint Commission accredited?”
How to Evaluate the Answers
Quality answers are specific, data-referenced, and honest about limitations. Marketing answers are general, reassuring without substance, and redirect to positive outcomes rather than engaging with risk.
For a complete, categorized list of consultation questions with detailed analysis of what each answer tells you, see our full guide to questions to ask at your eye surgery consultation. The full framework for surgeon selection is in choosing an eye surgeon.
Related answers: What should I expect during a free LASIK consultation? | Should I get a second opinion before eye surgery?