Avoiding refractive surgery lawsuits: research suggests ways to protect your patients--and yourself.(Research Review)

Publication: Review of Optometry

Publication Date: 15-MAR-04

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On any given day, anywhere from 100,000 to 125,000 medical malpractice suits are outstanding. And, although only 417 malpractice payments were made by optometrists between September 1990 and July 2003, refractive surgery malpractice cases are on the rise. (1-3) So, we must be vigilant about acting in our patients' best interests and staying up to date on the latest research on informed consent, pupil size and post-LASIK ectasia.

Pupil Size

Recent studies question the link between pupil size and poor night vision following LASIK. A study at the Naval Medical Center in San Diego showed that residual refractive error and optical zone size were the main contributors...

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