New guidelines have been drawn up for eye laser surgery
amid growing concern over the use of hard-sell tactics in persuading consumers
to undergo the procedure.
The guidelines from the Irish College of Ophthalmologists are voluntary, but the college says members who do
not adhere to them will be refused membership.
Thousands of eye laser
operations are carried out every year, the vast majority successfully. However,
with complications arising in a minority of cases, the amount of litigation is
increasing. At least 21 cases have been taken by individual consumers against a
number of high street eye laser clinics since 2008.
Ophthalmologist and eye
surgeon members of the college are increasingly concerned about the tactics
used by some operators to market the procedures to customers and about the
levels of pre- and aftercare provided.
“People may be led by the advertising used to think this is a trivial
procedure with minimal complications,” says college president Billy
Power. “I’m amazed
at the number of patients who say they never met their eye surgeon before the
day of their laser operation. You wouldn’t do that with an ingrown toenail, and
you certainly shouldn’t with an operation on your eye.”
The guidelines say communications with customers must not
convey false information or omit material information, and must not “create
unjustified expectations of results”: “Information on procedures must not
trivialise the seriousness of surgery or minimise the potential risks.”
Surgeons must be registered
with the Medical Council and
have indemnity cover, and must be available for out-patient services and
emergencies.
The information document about
the surgery must be given to the patient at least 24 hours before the procedure
is undertaken, to allow the patient discuss the risks and benefits involved.
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