LASIK surgery is for people who are suffering from vision disorders or astigmatism. Usually, people having nearsighted or farsighted problems are diagnosed with Lasik surgery. The main aim of this surgery is to reshape the cornea and correct the vision problems. However, a lot of evaluation and assessment is needed before performing this surgery. Like all other surgeries, LASIK surgery is also associated with dangers and risks. These can happen either because of the surgeon’s incompetency or it may be because of the patient’s negligence. In case it is a fault on the part of your ophthalmologist, you can sue them by filing a lawsuit. The attorney will always call a Lasik surgery expert witness and not a cataract surgery expert witness. This is quite obvious. Every surgeon has their own area of specialization so these expert witnesses need to be called depending upon the case.

When is Lasik surgery performed?

This surgery is performed when the retina does not receive the right amount of light. Because of this reason, the person does not get a clear vision. This type of eye problem is referred to as refractive error. The major types of this error are as follows:

• Myopia (Nearsightedness)– In this you can see clearly when things are nearer to you but your vision becomes blurry when things move farther away from you.
• Hyperopia (Farsightedness)– In this, the patient faces problem in seeing the things that are closer to them while the objects lying far away from them can be seen clearly.
• Astigmatism– The vision is blurry in this because of the shape of the eyes.

These are some of the reasons when LASIK surgery might be needed. However, the surgery should not be performed if you are below the age of 18 years, if you are pregnant, if you have glaucoma or dry eye problems, have thin cornea or you take certain medicines which may not be suitable for LASIK surgery. Therefore, your ophthalmologist should evaluate your medical history, the medications you take and he should decide if the surgery can be done or not. If the doctor fails to recognize the potential risks and hazards after surgery, the patient might face serious injuries and complications. Patients can sue their eye doctors for the same. However, they’ll need legal as well as medical guidance from an attorney and expert medical witnesses. In case of glaucoma surgery, the attorney will call a glaucoma surgery expert witness.

Role of ophthalmologist expert witnesses in medical malpractice case:

Expert witnesses are a must in a medical malpractice case. Without their case reviews and guidance, it is difficult to prove negligence of the surgeon. An ophthalmologist expert witness will review your case and will write a report stating the case facts. The report will also include the findings of the case facts and the matter will be explained in a simplified manner. This is because medical terms are complex and highly technical. It has to be presented in a manner so that it is comprehendible by the jury.