Dr. Stephen Slade was the first surgeon in the United States to perform LASIK eye surgery and also has the longest experience with Bladeless LASIK or LASIK performed with two lasers including one to make the flap. Dr. Stephen Slade has extensive experience and has performed LASIK and other types of refractive surgery on more than 25,000 patients from Houston and around the world. More recently, Dr. Stephen Slade performed the first Laser Cataract Surgery procedure in the United States, setting a new standard in cataract care. LASIK eye surgery pioneer Dr. Stephen Slade, MD, FACS is a Houston, Texas native who is a specialist in vision correction procedures. Patients from all around the world seek the professional ophthalmology and LASIK eye surgery services of Dr. Stephen Slade.
The following article was written by Dr. Stephen Slade:
My Day at the FDA
I spent last Friday at the FDA panel meeting on LASIK. It was one of the most educational, valuable experiences I have ever had.
The Panel meeting was all I expected and more. Patients, LASIK casualties (as they call themselves) , families, scientists, plaintiff’s attorneys, industry representatives and doctors gathered to debate LASIK. All options were on the table when we began: a moratorium, an outright ban on LASIK, FDA regulation on our practice of medicine, a class action lawsuit, a new study…
Some 15 LASIK “casualties” presented their stories in the public comment section of the morning. Their presentations were deeply personal, passionate and moving. We had no charts to look at, no science or records but all the same, here were humans where the system, or something, failed.
Our guys went next; Eric Donnenfeld, Kerry Solomon, Steve Schallhorn and Dave Tanzer. Some of the best presentations I have ever seen them make on dry eyes, world LASIK success rates and LASIK in the military. Their science was overwhelming and confirmed what I knew: LASIK was going to be ok.
At the end, the panel mainly discussed more detailed labeling and a new quality of life survey study. A moratorium, an outright ban or recall were never seriously considered. More regulation of our practice of medicine? Stand in line. I can’t imagine that we need more than state medical boards, our professional societies, the plaintiff’s lawyers and a higher authority, our own ethics.
But hearing LASIK would survive wasn’t the take home message. What I learned, was much more personal. Simply put, I, we, can do better. Of course we can continue to improve patient selection. Many of the casualties complained of dry eyes and we have greatly improved our screening, understanding and treatment in the last few years. Ectasia was discussed and reminded me of how much we have learned there as well. Pupil dynamics, laser physics, corneal transplants, topography, indeed LASIK had taught us more basic science than any surgery I know.
But I also learned they, the patients, need better doctor selection. Some of these folks would have been screened out by most of us. They needed more face time, increased contact with their surgeon, not anyone else. They needed their surgeon to acknowledge their distress, express empathy, take ownership and stick with them. They needed to have felt free to get a second opinion and know about other options. We don’t need a moratorium on LASIK but some of these patients would have benefited from a moratorium on the wrong kind of physician advertising; the “price first” kind that presents LASIK as a commodity. LASIK is not a commodity.
I know I’ll be a better doctor for being there. There will always be those patients where we fail, but we must never give up on them and trying to improve ourselves. That’s really all we can do.
Laser Vision Correction NJ, Stephen Slade, Denver Cataract, Dentist Dallas
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