The right questions to ask your surgeon before eye surgery

Asking questions is not a sign of distrust: it is a right, and the mark of a well-prepared patient. Before a LASIK, a PRK, a SMILE or cataract surgery, the consultation is a dialogue. A reliable surgeon answers you clearly, without pressure, and lets you leave with the answers in mind. This guide gives you the families of questions to prepare, and above all the right answer to expect for each, from the pre-operative assessment through to follow-up.

UNDERSTAND

Eye surgery, whether refractive (LASIK, PRK, SMILE) or intended to treat a cataract, is decided by two people. The surgeon brings their expertise, their examination and their data. You bring your expectations, your lifestyle, your fears. The role of the consultation is to bring these two sides together to reach a decision that is truly yours.

Many patients hesitate to question the practitioner, for fear of seeming distrustful or of “wasting time”. The opposite is true. In consultation, the most useful questions are often the ones the patient does not dare to voice. A surgeon at ease with their practice welcomes these questions gladly: they show that you are engaging thoughtfully.

This guide is not a list to recite mechanically. Think of it as a framework. Note down the questions that speak to you, bring them on paper or on your phone, and do not hesitate to ask for a point to be explained again if it stays unclear. For each family, we explain why the question matters and what answer reflects serious care.

ELIGIBILITY

Am I a good candidate, and which technique for my eye?

This is the first question, and the most important. Not every technique suits every eye. The choice between LASIK, PRK and SMILE depends on your cornea, your prescription, the stability of your sight and your lifestyle. The right approach starts from your eye and arrives at the technique, never the other way round.

Be wary of a practice that seems to “push” a single technique whatever the situation. A clinic that offers only one type of operation will tend to fit every profile into it. The real sign of quality is a practitioner who masters several approaches and explains why one is better suited to you than another.

What you can ask

• “On what precise criteria am I, or am I not, a candidate?”
• “What is the thickness and regularity of my cornea?”
• “Has my prescription been stable for long enough?”
• “If I am not eligible for laser, what alternatives do I have?”

A reassuring answer draws on concrete measurements from your assessment: corneal topography, thickness, degree of myopia or astigmatism, tear film condition. The surgeon should be able to tell you, with examples to support it, why a given technique is indicated in your case. To prepare this point, the am I eligible for LASIK questionnaire helps you gauge your profile even before the consultation.

If your cornea is too thin or your prescription too strong, laser is not always the right option. A phakic lens (ICL) can then be discussed. An honest surgeon will tell you when a technique reaches its limits rather than forcing an indication.

CONTINUITY

Who carries out my assessment, and who will actually operate on me?

This question is often forgotten, yet it changes everything. In some large facilities, the person who carries out your assessment is not the one who operates, and follow-up may be handed to a third person. Nothing illegal, but the information becomes diluted from one link to the next. Continuity of care is a concrete advantage for you.

With a surgeon in independent practice, the same practitioner examines you, sets the indication, carries out the operation and provides follow-up. That means they know your eye in detail on the day of the operation, and that if a question arises afterwards, you speak to the person who operated on you, not to a department. This continuous thread reduces the loss of information and strengthens the relationship of trust.

What you can ask

• “Will you be the one operating on me, or another practitioner?”
• “Who will carry out my follow-up consultations after the operation?”
• “If I have a question or a concern after the operation, who do I contact?”

A clear answer tells you the name of the operating surgeon and how follow-up is organised. This is not about disparaging large facilities, which provide immense services. It is about knowing who does what, for you, so that you can choose knowingly. You have the right to know the identity of the person who will hold the instruments.

IN PRACTICE

Where does the operation take place, and with what equipment?

The location of the operation and the equipment used are part of your information. Eye surgery takes place in a dedicated environment, with recent and regularly checked devices. Knowing where and with what you will be operated on is legitimate, and a transparent practitioner tells you so plainly.

In Dr Tourabaly’s practice, the roles are clearly separated according to the type of procedure. Pre-operative assessments and follow-up consultations take place at the practice, in Cachan and in Paris 13. Laser refractive surgery (LASIK, PRK, SMILE) is carried out at the Clinique Laser Victor Hugo, equipped for this type of operation. Cataract surgery, lenses and ICL take place at the Clinique Sainte-Geneviève, in Paris 14.

What you can ask

• “In which facility will my operation take place?”
• “What type of laser or equipment will be used for my case?”
• “Where do the assessment and the check-up visits take place?”

A good answer names the facility and the equipment precisely, and explains why this technical platform suits your operation. You should never discover the location of the operation at the last moment. This information also appears on the preparation sheet given at the pre-operative assessment.

SAFETY

What are the risks, and how are they managed?

Every surgery carries risks, including well-managed ocular procedures. A reliable surgeon states them spontaneously, without your having to insist. It is even one of the best indicators of seriousness: someone who plays down or brushes aside the question should alert you.

The possible complications vary with the technique. Refractive surgery may be accompanied by transient dry eye, night glare or, more rarely, a need for enhancement. Cataract surgery, very common, also carries its own risks that the surgeon should detail. The point is not that no risk exists, it is that these risks are known, explained and managed if they occur.

What you can ask

• “What are the most frequent risks and side effects in my case?”
• “What happens if the result is not the one hoped for?”
• “Is an enhancement or a second operation possible, and on what conditions?”
• “How do you manage a complication if it occurs?”

The expected answer is balanced: neither alarmism nor a promise of perfection. The surgeon explains the probability of the main risks, the signs to watch for, and above all what they will do if something unexpected arises. A clear plan in case of complication is more reassuring than a speech claiming there will never be one.

DEVICES

Which lens or which laser, and what alternatives?

The choice of device is central, particularly for cataract. The lens placed during the operation stays in your eye for life: you may as well understand which one and why. Likewise, in refractive surgery, the type of laser and the ablation profile are matched to your prescription. It is very much in your interest to understand the options.

For cataract, several families of lenses exist: monofocal, multifocal, EDOF, with or without correction of astigmatism. Each has its advantages and constraints depending on your daily life, your need for reading, night driving or screen work. The page dedicated to monofocal, multifocal and EDOF lenses details these differences.

What you can ask

• “Which lens do you recommend for me, and why that one?”
• “What are the advantages and limits of this choice compared with the others?”
• “If I am not eligible for the ideal option, what is the fallback solution?”

A solid answer links the choice of device to your real needs, not to a commercial preference. The surgeon should be able to justify their advice according to your daily vision and to discuss the alternatives openly. If a more expensive option brings no benefit in your case, they should tell you so.

BUDGET

How much does it cost, and what is reimbursed?

Cost is part of the decision, and there is nothing awkward about discussing it. A transparent practitioner gives you a detailed, written quote that distinguishes what falls to the national health insurance, to your complementary health cover, and to any fees. You should leave knowing precisely what you are going to pay.

Situations differ according to the procedure. Comfort-oriented refractive surgery is generally not covered by the national health insurance. Cataract surgery, on the other hand, is reimbursed for the basic procedure, but certain lenses or options may leave an out-of-pocket amount. The page on the out-of-pocket cost in cataract surgery explains these differences in detail.

What you can ask

• “Can you give me a written and detailed quote?”
• “What is covered, and what will be left for me to pay?”
• “Are there any fees, and of what amount?”

The good answer is a clear quote, with no grey areas, that you can take away and read calmly at home. An amount announced verbally and rounded off, with no document, or a price that “only holds if you sign today”, should give you pause. Price should never be a pressure tool.

AFTER

What aftercare, what time off work, what follow-up?

The operation is only one step: recovery and follow-up are just as much a part of it. Before deciding, you should know what the days that follow look like, how much time to allow before returning to work, and to what schedule the check-ups take place. These answers let you organise your life around the operation.

The aftercare varies from one technique to another. Visual recovery is often quick after a LASIK, a little more gradual after a PRK. Cataract requires a few days of eye drops and precautions. In every case, a schedule of check-up visits is planned to verify that healing and the result meet expectations.

What you can ask

• “What should I expect in the first days and the first weeks?”
• “How long before returning to work, driving, sport?”
• “What is the schedule of follow-up consultations?”
• “What signs should make me contact you urgently?”

A reassuring answer sets out a concrete post-operative pathway: the eye drops to instil, the actions to avoid, realistic timeframes for resuming activity, and a schedule of check-ups. The surgeon should also tell you the warning signs that justify contacting them without delay. Organised follow-up is the natural extension of serious care.

SUMMARY

The table of questions to take to your consultation

To help you prepare for your appointment, here is a summary of the seven families of questions. For each, the reason to ask it and the type of answer that reflects quality care. Note down the ones that matter most to you.

CAUTION

What warning signs should give you pause?

Most surgeons practise with rigour and transparency. But a few signals deserve your full attention. On their own they do not prove a problem, yet, taken together, they justify stepping back, or even seeking a second opinion before committing.

• The promise of a perfect result. No one can guarantee perfect vision or a complete absence of risk. A story that sounds too good should make you cautious.
• Pressure to sign the same day. A surgical decision deserves reflection. An offer “valid today only” belongs to commerce, not to medicine.
• A vague or verbal-only quote. Without a written and detailed document, you cannot compare or understand what you are paying for.
• A refusal to answer your questions. A practitioner annoyed by your questions, or who dodges them, is not putting you in the right conditions.
• The absence of a serious examination. An indication set without a thorough assessment is not reliable.

Conversely, a good sign is simple: you leave the consultation having understood what is being proposed, why, at what price and with what follow-up. You feel free to reflect, to compare, to ask for time. Trust is not imposed, it is built through clarity.

Sources

• Haute Autorité de Santé (HAS) — Patient information and informed consent before a surgical procedure.
• Société Française d’Ophtalmologie (SFO) — Guidelines and patient information in refractive and cataract surgery.
• Conseil National de l’Ordre des Médecins — Duty to inform the patient (Code of medical ethics).

Frequently asked questions