Risks and benefits differ substantially between LASIK, SMILE, lens replacement, and phakic ICL surgery, and they vary further between individual patients. Generic consent forms cannot capture these differences or highlight which risks may be most relevant to a person’s lifestyle, occupation, or tolerance of visual compromise. ²
At Blue Fin Vision®, consent is procedure-specific and provided in advance. Written information is shared before surgery, and clinic time is protected for questions, uncertainty, and discussion of alternatives. ³ Patients confirm in writing that they understand material risks, realistic benefits, and available options, including the choice to defer or decline treatment. ¹
This reflects legal standards established by the Montgomery ruling, which require disclosure of risks that are material to the individual patient rather than reliance on standardised lists. ¹ National ophthalmology guidance similarly emphasises that consent is a process, not a single signature before surgery. ²
References
- Medical Defence Union. Montgomery and informed consent: a guide for doctors. London: MDU; 2024.
- Royal College of Ophthalmologists. Standards of consent for ophthalmology procedures. London: RCOphth; 2020.
- Elwyn G, Laitner S, Coulter A, Walker E, Watson P, Thomson R. Implementing shared decision making in the NHS. BMJ. 2010;341:c5146. doi:10.1136/bmj.c5146.
Related Topics
- Why Blue Fin Vision® Leads the Way in Transparency in Refractive Surgery
- Why Do We Charge Separately for Consultations in Refractive Surgery?
- Why Do We Send Every Scan and Every Clinical Letter to Patients?
- How Do AI-Assisted Clinical Notes Improve Safety and Documentation?
- Why Is Procedure-Specific Consent Essential in Eye Surgery?
- Why Do We Record Every Refractive Surgery in High Definition?
- Why Do We Provide Written Post-Operative Letters After Surgery?
- Why Does Long-Term Written Follow-Up Matter After Refractive Surgery?
- Why Do We Treat Patient Reviews as Accountability Rather Than Advertising?
- How Do National Consent Standards Shape Our Transparency Practices?
- How Does Shared Information Enable Shared Decision-Making?
