LASIK and SMILE have outstanding overall safety records as procedures, but outcomes still depend meaningfully on surgeon skill and experience. Here's a practical vetting checklist.
Questions worth asking directly
- What specific laser platform do you use, and how long have you used it? (See our technology parity guide.)
- Roughly how many LASIK/SMILE procedures have you personally performed?
- What's your enhancement/retreatment rate, and how does that compare to typical industry figures?
- What happens if I need an enhancement — is that included or an additional cost?
A confident, specific answer to each of these questions is a strong positive signal. Vague answers, especially around case volume or technology specifics, are worth taking seriously as a reason to seek a second consultation.
Credentialing to verify
Confirm your surgeon's medical license and any relevant ophthalmology specialty credentials through Colombia's official registries — similar in principle to the RETHUS verification process our dental site covers, adapted for ophthalmology-specific credentialing.
Pricing red flags
A quote significantly below market for current-generation technology deserves a specific follow-up question about exactly which laser platform is actually being used — this is one of the more easily disguised cost-cutting measures in refractive surgery marketing.
The pre-op evaluation is itself a vetting opportunity
A thorough, unhurried pre-op evaluation — genuinely assessing your candidacy rather than rushing toward a "yes" — is itself one of the best signals of a surgeon prioritizing your outcome over simply booking the procedure.
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