Eye doctors pan mass marketing of laser surgery
By Angelica Oung
A group of ophthalmologists said yesterday that the proliferation of laser eye surgery clinics and cutthroat competition have resulted in deteriorating care and treatment.
The Republic of China Ophthalmological Society held a press conference on Sunday saying that the quality of care has become uneven, as discount clinics offer surgery for as little as NT$9,999.
Some clinics even offer "summer specials," allowing four individuals to receive laser surgery for the price of three.
The society is preparing a list of approved laser eye surgery providers that meet its criteria for professionalism and equipment quality, director Pan Chih-chin (潘志勤) said.
"People seem to forget that laser eye surgery is not a product but an important medical decision," Pan said. "Instead of looking for quality providers, some are simply comparing prices."
While some clinics lure customers by offering low-cost surgery, others charge top dollar even though they use older equipment because consumers cannot tell the difference, Pan said.
"The uncertainty is preventing some who could benefit from laser surgery from going ahead with the procedure," he said.
Pan said he had given up on lobbying for government-backed certification. Instead, the association has decided to give its seal of approval to ophthalmologists who join its tests and workshops and submit to equipment inspections by the Department of Health.
Pan stressed that the plan was not a certification scheme, but simply provides a list of recommended laser eye surgery centers. The association had run afoul of the Fair Trade Commission (FTC), when it attempted to institute pricing standards in 2003.
Laser eye surgery was introduced locally more than a decade ago. Back then, only major medical care centers were approved to perform the new surgery. However, as the surgery became more popular, a majority have opted to receive treatment in eye clinics specializing in the procedure.
The association said that as many as 50,000 laser eye surgery procedures were performed annually in the country, but demand has plunged in the past two years.