High rate of refractive surgeons, families undergoing laser procedures

This segment of the population knows the benefits of laser vision correction more intimately than the lay public, refractive surgeon says.

Richard J. Duffey

ATLANTA — Ophthalmologists and their families have undergone laser refractive surgery about four times more frequently than the general U.S. population, according to a survey presented here.

The results of the American Academy of Ophthalmology/International Society of Refractive Surgeons 2008 member survey showed that 35% of refractive surgeons had undergone LASIK or surface ablation procedures such as PRK.

OSN Refractive Surgery Section Member Richard J. Duffey, MD, discussed the survey during Refractive Subspecialty Day preceding the AAO meeting.

In an interview with Ocular Surgery News, Dr. Duffey attributed the trend to refractive surgeons and their families knowing the benefits of laser vision correction more intimately than the lay public.

“The more you knew about modern laser vision correction, the higher the likelihood that you would have had the surgery,” he said.

Additionally, 30% of the surgeons’ spouses, 21% of their children and 40% of their siblings had laser vision correction since the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved excimer laser surgery in 1996.

Disputing a claim

In April, the FDA held a special hearing to address reported complications, patient dissatisfaction and suicides ostensibly arising from poor LASIK outcomes. Dr. Duffey cited a published report quoting a disgruntled LASIK patient’s family member who claimed that ophthalmologists avoid LASIK and other laser refractive procedures.

The survey results soundly refuted that claim, Dr. Duffey said.

“When I read that I thought, ‘That’s as far from the truth as can be’ because I already knew the statistics for the last 12 years,” he said.

In prior years, the annual survey polled the rate of refractive surgeons undergoing LASIK and other laser procedures themselves. But this year, the laser vision correction family index measured the percentage of refractive surgeons’ family members who had undergone laser vision correction, he said.

“I knew anecdotally that I had a number of my family members, where I’ve done their surgery or they were in other parts of the country, and we found good refractive surgeons, and they had it done,” Dr. Duffey said. “We wanted to know, ‘Has your spouse had it done? Have your children had it done, and your siblings and your spouse’s siblings?’ By being able to know the average family size, number of children per family, etc., we were able to basically back-calculate the percentage of family members that have had laser vision correction.”

The rate of refractive surgeons and their families having laser surgery is especially significant because only 50% of the general population has a refractive error within the correctable range and is eligible to have laser vision correction, Dr. Duffey said.

The FDA recommends LASIK for patients aged 18 years or older, but many refractive surgeons defer the surgery to later, he said.

“Most of us hold off until about 21 because you have a more stable refraction,” Dr. Duffey said. His daughter underwent LASIK in 2007 at age 23.

Spreading the word

Dr. Duffey said a number of physicians in other medical specialties have undergone LASIK and other laser refractive procedures.

“I’ve always been amazed … how many physicians, not just ophthalmologists, but urologists, anesthesiologists, pediatricians, go right on down the line, how many of them have had laser vision correction done over the years,” he said.

Dr. Duffey credited informal conversations among doctors, nurses and staff members who have undergone laser vision correction in their own eyes for spreading interest in laser refractive surgery among other physician specialties.

The survey has been conducted annually for 12 years. The 2008 survey was mailed to 1,364 AAO/ISRS members. The response rate was about 16% (223 respondents), Dr. Duffey said. – by Matt Hasson

• Richard J. Duffey, MD, can be reached at 2880 Dauphin St., Mobile, AL 36606; 334-470-8928; fax: 334-470-8924; e-mail: richardduffey@gmail.com.