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Refractive surgery in refractive surgeons: Walking the walk
In the debut of this OSN column, Steven B. Siepser, MD, FACS, remembers his own LASIK surgery in 2001.
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This series about refractive surgeons’ experience with their own refractive procedures was initially prompted by an appearance by a retina specialist on the Dr. Oz show in 2013. She stated on the show that LASIK “was the one procedure ophthalmologists will not have.”
A review of previous data culled from the annual American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery surveys suggested quite the contrary, and a recent survey that will be submitted for publication, performed by Jason Brinton, MD, Gregory Parkhurst, MD, Guy Kezirian, MD, and me, showed a significant penetration of LASIK and PRK in refractive surgeons.
Richard A. Norden
As we discussed the specialist’s misleading statement, we felt that it would be enlightening to all ophthalmologists, including refractive surgeons, to hear the reasons for undergoing refractive surgery, the fears and trepidations, the actual process, and the results and impact on these surgeons’ lives and practices.
To our knowledge, this is the first series of descriptions of first-hand experiences by surgeons of their own procedures.
Each month, a refractive surgeon will describe his or her own experience with refractive surgery. We hope you find this series of articles enjoyable and enlightening.
We welcome refractive surgeons to submit stories of their own experiences.
Richard A. Norden, MD
OSN Refractive Surgery Stories Editor
Steven B. Siepser
Getting LASIK was an easy decision for me. I was only a –3.50 with 0.75 oblique cylinder in both eyes, using a –2.50 in the left eye to ease my presbyopic pain. Since 1992, we had been taking LASIK patients to Ottawa in my own airplane. I watched an experienced surgeon perform the procedure and saw his learning curve, but I was not quite ready. In the late 1980s I considered RK but decided to pass. Doing a fair number of RKs myself, the best results were with the lower myopes having no more than four cuts, and reports surfaced about complications with high myopia.
I visited a couple of colleagues locally for a LASIK evaluation, but they seemed a bit shaky. I thought, “If they’re nervous just examining me, what would happen if there was a complication? They might pass out.” I looked further afield. A trusted consultant encouraged me to visit Dr. Colman Kraff to see his office design and execution. While there, I casually asked him to take a look to see what he thought of doing LASIK on me sometime. He was as cool as could be. Having performed surgery on many of the Chicago Cubs, doing the procedure on an ophthalmologist did not seem like a big deal to him.
Before I knew it, it was February 2001. I was anxious to get my LASIK. I called Colman to see if he was still willing to take me. We were on. I spent the day at my office doing surgery and then jumped into my airplane and flew to Chicago when the downtown airport, Meigs Field, was still operational. It was a short cab ride to the office, and Dr. Kraff was kind enough to stay open late for my arrival. A last-minute check, and before I knew it, we were in the final stages. Dr. Manus Kraff and Colman, always on the cutting edge, offered wavefront Visx CustomVue (now Abbott Medical Optics). I took a pass because I wanted a little blur so as to keep my near vision. In what seemed like a short time, the Hansatome (Bausch + Lomb) was whirring, and it was over. I sat up a bit stunned but seeing fairly well. My wife and I went out to dinner. At around 8 p.m., I got a nice call from Colman and then enjoyed a great night’s sleep (I did not wear those uncomfortable goggles).
The next morning was a cold, gray Chicago day. We went to Dr. Kraff’s office for an early Saturday morning appointment. My vision was 20/25 in the right eye and 20/30 in the left, with 20/25 binocular. I was comfortable so I asked Colman if it would be OK to fly, not mentioning that I was the only qualified pilot in the airplane. He said, “Yes.” My wife and I hopped in our airplane, pointed south and visited family in Florida for the weekend. We returned to Philadelphia on Monday. I was back in the operating room with a full schedule on Tuesday.
Now, 13 years later, I have 20/15 binocular vision and J1 with –0.25 in the right eye and –0.75 in the left eye with 20/20 on the right and 20/40 on the left. This blended vision allows me to pass the FAA third-class physical without correction. My world is that of 2-20 feet, and my vision is perfect for that. My nighttime vision is not great, but with a good GPS in the car and the airplane, it is not an issue. I love my vision, and getting LASIK continues to be one of the best things I have ever done for myself. I never touch a pair of glasses. If I need magnification for surgery or the occasional removal of a splinter at home, I have a pair of loupes that works great. “Drugstore” glasses do not help and, besides, give me a headache.
When my 27-year-old daughter decided she was tired of her contacts and –5.00 bilateral spectacles, it was an easy decision to help her. She is now 20/20 in both eyes with slight myopia more pronounced on the left, but she is an artist and this works well for her. I would not hesitate to treat anyone. This is a proven safe and effective treatment. I feel so strongly about this that I founded a company that certifies skilled surgeons performing this procedure and underwrites laser vision correction with a million dollar outcome insurance. VisionLock (www.VisionLock.com) is growing quickly, and hopefully, this will help to reignite the interest in improved vision with laser vision correction for late adopters and the more conservative segment of the market that persists.