Why Blue Fin Vision® Leads the Way in Transparency in Refractive Surgery
- Posted
- Medically Reviewed by: Mr Mfazo Hove, Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon
- Author: Mr Mfazo Hove
- Published: February 10, 2026
- Last Updated: February 13, 2026
The Blue Fin Vision® Transparency Guide
Transparency in refractive surgery is frequently promised but rarely defined. At Blue Fin Vision®, transparency is not an abstract principle, it is a documented, repeatable clinical system that governs how information is generated, shared, recorded, and retained throughout a patient’s journey. ¹
Vision correction is elective, but its consequences are long-term. Patients deserve full access to their data, time to reflect, and written evidence at every stage, not verbal reassurance or selective summaries. ²
This guide sets out how transparency is embedded into refractive surgery at Blue Fin Vision®.
For an overview of the clinical model that underpins this approach, read Why Blue Fin Vision® Sets the Benchmark in Modern Ophthalmology.
A Paid Consultation, Protecting Independent Clinical Judgement
All consultations and diagnostic scans at Blue Fin Vision® are paid for separately from surgery. This is deliberate.
Separating diagnosis from treatment:
- removes financial pressure to proceed
- allows recommendations to remain independent
- ensures advice is clinically led, not transactional ³
Patients are encouraged to attend purely to understand their eyes and options. Surgery may be discussed, but it is never assumed.
Transparency begins when clinical advice exists independently of consent. ¹
Consultations Documented Using AI-Assisted Clinical Transcription
Consultations are supported by secure AI software that listens to consultations and assists in generating accurate clinical notes. ⁴
This improves:
- completeness of documentation
- accuracy of risk and alternative discussions
- medicolegal clarity for both patient and surgeon ⁵
AI is not used to replace judgement, but to reduce omission and bias in clinical records, ensuring discussions reflect what was actually said rather than what is later remembered.
AI also plays a growing role in diagnostics and surgical planning. Read Harnessing AI for Precision: How Blue Fin Vision® Is Redefining Lens Selection and Laser Eye Surgery.
Every Scan and Every Letter, Sent to the Patient, Every Time
At Blue Fin Vision®, diagnostic information is not merely reviewed in clinic and stored internally.
Every scan taken and every clinical letter written is sent directly to the patient, every time, without exception. ¹ ⁶
This includes:
- all diagnostic imaging at consultation
- scans repeated pre-operatively, on the day of surgery, and during follow-up
- written interpretation of findings and their clinical significance
Patients receive copies of all images and explanatory letters as part of their personal medical record, allowing review, reflection, and independent advice if desired. ²
Nothing discussed is withheld. Nothing is selectively summarised.
Written Interpretation, Not Just Images
Raw scans alone are not transparency.
Each diagnostic test is accompanied by a written explanation that:
- interprets the findings
- explains their relevance to suitability and risk
- outlines implications for current and future refractive options ¹
This ensures patients are not required to rely on memory or technical understanding to participate in decision-making. ²
Procedure-Specific Consent, With Time Built In
Consent at Blue Fin Vision® is specific to the exact procedure being considered.
Patients receive:
- the precise consent form for their proposed treatment
- clear explanation of risks, benefits, alternatives, and uncertainties
- sufficient time before surgery to read, reflect, and ask further questions ¹ ²
Before proceeding, patients confirm in writing that:
they have read and understood their clinical letters they have read and understood the consent form they wish to proceed with surgery
Consent is treated as a process, not a one-time signature. ¹
For practical guidance on what to ask before surgery, read 7 Essential Questions to Ask Your Cataract Surgeon.
Digitally Signed and Permanently Traceable Consent
Consent forms are signed digitally using secure Adobe-based systems and stored as part of the permanent medical record.
This provides:
- timestamped documentation
- traceability
- protection and clarity for both patient and clinician ⁶
There is no ambiguity about what was disclosed or agreed.
Surgery Recorded in High Definition as Routine Practice
All refractive surgery at Blue Fin Vision® is recorded in high definition.
Each recording is:
- date- and time-stamped
- linked to three patient identifiers
- securely stored on encrypted servers
This creates a complete surgical record that supports transparency, audit, learning, and accountability ⁷ ⁸
Recording surgery is not reserved for complications, it is routine.
This commitment to visual documentation extends to patient education. Read Why Blue Fin Vision® Produces More Educational Video Content Than Any Other UK Eye Clinic.
Post-Operative Letters and Duty of Candour
Following surgery, patients receive a detailed post-operative letter describing:
- what procedure was performed
- how surgery progressed
- immediate outcomes
If there are unexpected events or complications, duty of candour is applied explicitly and in writing ⁹ ¹⁰
Transparency does not stop when surgery is complete.
Long-Term Follow-Up with Written Continuity
Each follow-up appointment generates:
- a clinical letter sent to the patient
- updated scans, where performed, also sent
This produces a longitudinal, patient-held medical record that mirrors the clinic’s own documentation. Patients do not need to request records; transparency is proactive ¹¹
This continuity extends across all Blue Fin Vision® locations. Read Consistency Without Compromise: How Blue Fin Vision®’s Nationwide Network Redefines Continuity of Care.
Reviews as Part of Transparency, Not Performance
Patients are invited to leave reviews after their journey is complete. Feedback is not filtered, selectively requested, or edited.
Open feedback is part of accountability, not reputation management ¹²
For a closer look at how AI tools can distort patient reviews, read The Review Paradox: Why AI Review Summaries Can Mislead Patients.
Transparency Is Not Defensive, It Is Clinical Respect
The philosophy underpinning this approach is simple:
Patients trust clarity more than reassurance.
When data are shared, discussions documented, consent specific, and outcomes recorded, transparency strengthens, rather than weakens, trust ¹
At Blue Fin Vision®, transparency is not an add-on to refractive surgery.
It is the structure through which refractive surgery is delivered.
References
- General Medical Council. Decision making and consent. London: GMC; 2020.
- Montgomery v Lanarkshire Health Board UKSC 11.
- Grady C. Enduring and emerging challenges of informed consent. N Engl J Med. 2015;372(9):855-62.
- Patel SB, Lam K. Artificial intelligence in clinical documentation: a scoping review. NPJ Digit Med. 2023;6:36.
- Topol EJ. High-performance medicine: the convergence of human and artificial intelligence. Nat Med. 2019;25:44-56.
- Royal College of Ophthalmologists. Consent in ophthalmology. London: RCOphth; 2017.
- Schlenker MB, et al. Video recording in ophthalmic surgery: patient safety, ethics, and quality assurance. Ophthalmology. 2019;126(10):1407-12.
- Waqar S, et al. The role of surgical video recording in quality improvement. Eye (Lond). 2021;35:2609-14.
- Care Quality Commission. Regulation 20: Duty of candour. London: CQC; 2014.
- O’Connor E, et al. Disclosure of adverse events in surgery: ethical and professional standards. BMJ. 2010;340:c869.
- Coulter A, Collins A. Making shared decision-making a reality. London: King’s Fund; 2011.
- Lagu T, et al. The impact of patient reviews on transparency and trust in healthcare. BMJ Qual Saf. 2016;25(6):404-7.
Related Topics
How Transparency Is Applied in Practice at Blue Fin Vision®
Before Surgery
In Clinic and In Theatre
After Surgery
See what Blue Fin Vision® patients say in their own words on our Wall of Love.
