Include ICL in initial patient conversation about refractive surgery
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CHICAGO — The best method to transition a patient from LASIK to an Implantable Collamer Lens is to avoid the transition in the first place, according to a speaker here.
“[The ICL] should be part of the initial conversation,” Greg Parkhurst, MD, said at Refractive Surgery Subspecialty Day at the American Academy of Ophthalmology meeting. “This should not be a backup surprise but rather a part of the whole conversation from start to finish.”
It is important to consider if LASIK is actually what the patient wants in the first place, Parkhurst said. Generally, patients are not seeking specific procedures.
“They just want to wake up and see,” he said. “They want their doctor to tell them how to do that.”
It can be useful to speak with patients about the benefits of refractive surgery in general terms early on, Parkhurst said. This conversation can include information on the various types of refractive surgery such as LASIK, PRK, phakic IOLs, lens replacement, corneal cross-linking, allogenic corneal inlays and refractive cataract surgery.
Printed materials can also be useful for communication, he said, and technicians can help educate patients during scans. Additionally, it is important that physicians listen to patients, describe alternative options and make recommendations.
“Hopefully, by the time the patient sees the doctor, their questions is, ‘What form of LASIK am I getting? The kind with the laser or the kind with the lens?’” Parkhurst said.
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Parkhurst G. I can’t have LASIK, now what ... transitioning to ICL. Presented at: American Academy of Ophthalmology meeting; Sept. 30-Oct. 3, 2022; Chicago.
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