UPDATE 2009:

LaserMyEye, Inc. is a now defunct 501(c)(3) nonprofit that was in operation from 2004 through 2009. If you are interested in knowing what it was all about, see below.

Mission, vision and goals

LaserMyEye, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) charitable, educational and scientific organisation founded to enhance the safety and efficacy of laser eye surgery by educating consumers, fostering improved standards for patient care, and promoting the wellbeing of patients who experience poor outcomes.

Our vision for consumer education

Goal: Increase consumer awareness of the benefits, limitations, drawbacks and risks of laser eye surgery.

Objectives:

Information: Information readily available to all consumers should include detailed information about all known contraindications (absolute and relative) and risk factors; treatment options (procedures, equipment and techniques); outcome statistics (including refractive results, retreatment rates, complications rates and rates of common adverse effects such as night vision disturbance and dry eye); known risks; known limitations and drawbacks; and alternative treatments including non-surgical vision correction.

Advertising Standards: Consumer advertising of laser refractive surgery should comply with all applicable regulatory standards. In particular, such advertising should not cause or advance the formation of inappropriate expectations by consumers, and should include warning labels about the most frequent adverse effects of laser eye surgery, including dry eye and night vision disturbances. (An example of an applicable regulatory body in the United States is the Federal Trade Commission.)

Our vision for patient care

Goal: Elevate the standard of care to reduce the incidence of adverse effects and long-term complications of laser eye surgery.

Objectives:

Informed Consent: Informed consent should be a process which commences well in advance of surgery and of which a consent form is the confirmation. Patient-specific identifiable risk factors for increased permanent side effects (such as pre-existing dry eye and higher refractive error) should be explicitly incorporated in the consent process. No verbal statements should be made which trivialise in the patient's mind the frequency and life-impact of common permanent side effects. No part of informed consent, including signing the consent form, should occur after the administration of sedating medication.

Patient Selection: Patient selection (screening) should acccurately and consistently identify patients with conditions known to increase the risk of permanent side effects and complications, including but not limited to appropriate evaluation of dry eye syndrome and correct measurement of the dark-adapted pupil diameter.

Outcome Documentation: Visual acuity is deficient as a sole measure of the success of laser refractive surgery. Post-operative evaluation should include performance of corneal topography not later than one month after surgery, low contrast visual acuity testing, testing of vision quality or function using validated surveys, and the Ocular Surface Disease Index questionnaire regarding dry eye.

Our vision for complications patients

Goal: Improve the availability and benefit of medical care and wellbeing resources for individuals who experience poor outcomes from laser eye surgery.

Objectives:

Physician Commitment to Patient Care: The fiduciary relationship between the physician and the patient with an unexpected result should include: (1) maintenance of adequate access to care (regular and emergency); (2) acknowledgement, documentation and investigation of patient complaints; (3) advice about treatment options, including referral to other physicians and outside consultants if indicated; and (4) compliance with statutory requirements for providing patients with written records upon request.

Patient Support Services: An unexpected or poor surgical outcome can cause excessive emotional distress and permanent side effects and complications often have a substantial adverse impact on quality of life. Patients who experience poor outcomes should have available to them an orientation program, regional and/or online support groups, and assistance in accessing medical care including ophthalmologic, optometric and psychiatric.

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History

LaserMyEye was first established in 2003 by Rebecca Petris and Margaret Dolan, LASIK patients in the UK and Ireland who had experienced long-term problems from their surgeries. We wanted to improve the safety of LVC and the experience of patients unfortunate enough to experience complications.

We began by establishing LaserMyEye.org in April 2003, initially focusing on providing information, tips, guidance and support to patients with complications, adverse effects or poor outcomes. From there we expanded to the role of educating LVC candidates and working with eye doctors to improve care. Highlights include speaking engagements at ophthalmologic conferences in Europe and a successful campaign for a parliamentary review of safety standards in laser eye surgery in the United Kingdom.

In June 2004 we took the decision to incorporate as a nonprofit organisation in the USA in order to extend our reach and diversify funding sources. Today, LaserMyEye is involved in many initiatives aimed at improving safety and quality of care in laser vision correction.

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Activities

Examples of some of our general activities:

• Supplementing and maintaining this website as a resource for consumers/patients
• Newsletters for doctors and for patients
• Instructive courses for surgeons through distance learning programmes and seminars
• Consumer information leaflets for distribution in clinics (in cooperation with laser manufacturers)
• Speaking engagements at medical conferences
• Creating unique private online library
• Creating online encyclopedia of laser eye surgery
• Support group networks for laser eye surgery complications patients

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