http://www.lasiknewswire.com/2008/09/will-tlc-laser-eye-centers-survive-to-honor-its-lifetime-commitment.html
Will TLC Laser Eye Centers Survive to Honor its "Lifetime Commitment"?
By Admin on September 24, 2008 5:08 PM
LASIK eye surgery volumes are declining. LASIK industry
representatives blame the economy. LASIK critics attribute the
decline to the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) heightened
scrutiny of LASIK, and public distrust of the surgery following media
re****ts of widespread problems with LASIK.
Especially hard hit are LASIK chains, sometimes referred to as "LASIK
mills", such as LasikPlus and TLC Laser Eye Centers. TLC continues to
advertise its "lifetime commitment" to patient follow-up care, yet the
company's financial picture is grim, and it is uncertain how long TLC
will be able to keep its doors open.
TLC's past success is due, at least in part, to the endorsement of the
world's most famous golfer, Tiger Woods. However, like many LASIK
patients, Woods found that LASIK surgery results don't always last.
In May, 2007 USA Today re****ted that Woods had an additional surgery
to correct his "slipping" vision. Golfer Scott Hoch re****tedly had
LASIK by the same surgeon who operated on Woods. Hoch experienced
vision problems after LASIK which affected his game, even after
attempts to correct the problems with repeat surgeries.
Patients of TLC may be completely unaware of another pressing concern
surrounding the anticipated demise of TLC. If TLC closes its doors,
how will patients access their medical records? Preoperative
measurements from patient charts are im****tant to long-term eyecare,
such as routine glaucoma screening, future cataract surgery, and
enhancements. The American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) concluded
that LASIK patients should maintain a permanent record of their
preoperative measurements, and developed a form to be given to
patients by their LASIK surgeons to record this essential medical
information. But the AAO and the LASIK industry lack a plan to inform
the millions of former LASIK patients of long-term issues they face
after LASIK, and their need to safeguard and maintain LASIK medical
records. LASIK watchdog groups speculate that the LASIK industry
fears that by making long-term issues facing post-LASIK patients
widely known, the increased public awareness of problems with the
procedure would result in even greater decline in LASIK demand.
It seems clear that LASIK will not rebound, regardless of the state of
the economy. Is there a future for high-volume LASIK mills like TLC?
If the answer to this question is no, what will happen to the patients
who were promised a "lifetime commitment"? In hindsight, TLC patients
may be seeing red.
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