Personal Injury Law

Eye doctor barred from doing LASIK surgeries

By Barry Doyle

The Illinois Department of Professional Regulation has recently barred another eye doctor from doing LASIK procedures, among other disciplinary actions.

This doctor had previously been sued 50 times since the 1990's for medical malpractice, and had "allegedly mishandled Lasik surgeries and failed to properly manage treatment of post-operative complications." According to the story:

After finding that Dr. Nicholas Caro had engaged in unprofessional conduct and gross negligence, the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation suspended his medical license for 30 days, placed him on probation for a minimum of 3 years and banned him from performing procedures aimed at changing the curvature of the cornea, which includes Lasik surgeries.

The agency also fined him $10,000, the maximum allowed per violation.

LASIK surgery- which stands for "laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis"- is an elective surgery that uses a laser to alter the shape of a person's corneas, so that the person is can see better without the use of contact lenses or glasses. It is invasive, and therefore the procedure contains a certain amount of inherent risk for complications.

Sometimes however, medical malpractice is the cause of a patient's complications. Medical malpractice occurs when the doctor fails to perform his duties according to a prescribed medical standard, and this failure results in an injury to the patient.

In the field of LASIK surgery, medical malpractice, or medical negligence, can occur in many ways. The doctor might fail to properly inform the patient about the risks involved with the procedure, the doctor may use the laser device incorrectly, he or she may provide inadequate post-operative care (such as not giving the patient guidelines on how to treat the operated area), or may not follow up with the patient in an appropriate amount of time. All of these mistakes can result in eye damage to the patient, and are not considered to be normal human errors.

LASIK surgery, if done properly, can greatly improve your vision and make your life much easier. Done improperly, however, it can make your ilfe a nightmare. Make sure that the doctor you choose to do the surgery has a clean record, does his part to inform you, and is cautious. It is always a good idea to be as proactive with your health as possible.

Full post as published by Cook County Personal Injury Lawyer on March 07, 2010 (boomark / email).