Sooner or later you should visit a clinic
Because there is so much information available and so many places where you can go to find things out, it’s easy to spend a lot of time researching and planning and very little time actually doing.
This is true for anything: decorating the lounge, buying a new house, going on holiday, or simply buying a new yoga mat. However, with an abundance of information out there online, it is especially true for more serious decisions like Laser Eye Surgery.
When you are supplied with information via the internet, it can be difficult to figure out which info deserves the most importance. For instance, one opinion piece in the media can thus receive a lot of attention, while a scientific study with actual data that isn’t so fun or easy to read can get swept to the side.
Add this to highstreet promotions, review sites, clinic’s websites, advertisements, and recommendations, and researching Laser Eye Surgery can easily become overwhelming.
To help you traverse the information landscape of Laser Eye Surgery, so you can learn what you need to know and get on with having it, we’ve rounded up the top five things to look out for:
1. Online reviews
It’s often said that the next best thing to having the surgery yourself is reading or hearing reviews from other people who’ve had it.
However, it’s not just as simple as opening your ears to anyone who has had the procedure. There are many factors that come into play when deciding whether or not you should listen to a particular review.
The biggest factor of all is where you find it. If it is in a tabloid newspaper, for instance, then let’s say it may not be 100 percent reliable or accurate. Likewise, if it is published only on a clinic’s website.
On the other hand, if it is on a review site like TrustPilot, i.e. an independent review body that upholds strict regulations and has zero involvement with either the reviewer or businesses being reviewed, then it is much more trustworthy.
The other main factors to look out for are how long ago someone had their treatment and what type of prescription they had. The Laser Eye Surgery industry has developed a lot in recent years, and different prescriptions inevitably means different outcomes. Therefore, the most effective way to get the best idea of if the treatment is for you is to find the most recent reviews of people with similar prescriptions.
2. Clinic’s homepage
A clinic’s homepage is like the new reception or shop window of a business. From there, you should be able to find pretty much everything you would ever need to know.
More important, though, is the impression you get from it. Just like entering a clinic from the street or sitting in a waiting room while waiting to speak to someone, a clinic’s website can give you an idea as to how much care and pride a clinic has for their work and patients.
A well designed, clear, and even enjoyable website is a good indication that a clinic cares about the patient experience and is focused on ensuring you feel as comfortable and well-informed as possible. While the opposite—a cluttered and poorly-designed site—can convey a sense of carelessness and an attitude of overlooking the small but important details.
3. Personal recommendations
Hearing or reading reviews and testimonials may be the next best thing to having the surgery, but receiving personal recommendations goes a step even further.
In terms of helping you weigh up a decision and deciding if something is right for you, nothing is more powerful than a personal recommendation. Seeing the emotion in someone’s face as they express their view is often enough in itself to tip the scales and give you the assurance you need.
As Laser Eye Surgery is such a common procedure today, even if you don’t think you know anyone who’s had it, chances are when you start asking around someone will pop up. Even if it’s a distant relative or a friend of a friend, often that human element, that is inevitably missing from online reviews, makes all the difference.
4. Trust
Trust may not be as tangible as reviews, stats, or numbers of stars, but it is nonetheless an important part of choosing a Laser Eye Surgery clinic.
Rather than just a feeling you get from someone because “they just have one of those faces”, trust is an amalgamation of factors that come together to create a sense of comfort and security.
We’ve talked about what some of these factors are when considering a Laser Eye Surgery clinic. But getting that feeling of trust also involves things like the experience of surgeons, a high staff to patient ratio, transparent fees, the cleanliness and quality of the clinic, the organisation of the business, reputation and track record, the quality of devices and equipment, and the thoroughness of the examination process.
When all of these things come together, they can allow you to put your trust in a clinic. And when you can put your trust in a clinic, you can be free to move on from researching and to finally go ahead with the process.
To find out more about the Laser Eye Surgery screening process or to book your consultation, leave us a comment or get in touch with one of our friendly clinic coordinators today.