Choosing the Right Surgeon

[NeLso]

How does one select the right surgeon?

I have seen examples of patient friendly doctors (makes you feel comfortable), but they may be all thumbs.
Conversely the unfriendly, unhelpful, and maybe even downright rude doctors might have top notch surgical skills!  How does one find a skillful doctor?  

Privately asking the staff how they feel (about the doctor) might yield results?  (since they see the end results everyday)  But this would probably not be objective since the staff is likely told to stay positive and negative comments might get them fired.

Aside from confirming Board Certification, how does one find the best?  I have surgery scheduled soon... and am not feeling too comfortable.  

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

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[JodieJ]

There is no foolproof method.  Probably other ophthalmologists are the best source of information about who is good.  In my area (Chicago), Castle Connolly (available online and based on doctors' recommendation)s listed about 20 local ophthalmologists who specialized in cataract surgery.  (This information is not available for most locations.)  I eliminated the ones who didn't also do refractive surgery.  Then I eliminated those who were geographically undesirable.  I consulted three surgeons.  The first wanted me to wait until my cataract had worsened.  The second gave me the hard sell about the benefits of ReStor.  (I couldn't wait to flee the premises.)  The third turned out to be a winner.

It's important to choose a surgeon who is experienced and board-certified.  Having access to an IOL Master is also a big plus.  If a doctor's recommendations for you aren't consistent with your own goals, it would probably be best to move on.  It really helps if you've done some research first.  For example, if you know that you have astigmatism, is the surgeon experienced at addressing it (e.g., with a toric IOL or limbal relaxing incisions)?  If you're interested in a premium IOL, it's imperative to choose a doctor who is very experienced with it.  Personally, I would not want a surgeon who didn't have time to answer my questions.