Does anybody have any feedback, positive or negative, on Dr. Nancy Tanchel of the Laser Vision Institute in Vienna, VA?

I do not know this doctor, so I can not comment positevely or negatively. I can mention that Leonard Friedman, MD is an excellent LASIK surgeon who is in your area. He may also be able to answre any particular questions that you may have. You can contact him at

Please feel free to ask any further questions

Bill Trattler, MD
Miami, FL

I looked her up in Virginia and she doesn't have any black marks on her record. I thought it was odd that her address of record was in Tampa. I know Dr. Trattler once said that some of these corporate clinics fly in surgeons to do surgery and they may not be available if you have problems until the next time they're flown in. Perhaps someone can clarify the licensing of doctors and what records existing in other states really means. You can up Virginia doctors at http://www.dhp.state.va.us/

I have never heard of this Doctor. Is this one of
those discount Eye Surgery Centers? If you have
any questions about Lasik I will be happy to speak
with you. If you call my office let them know you
have questions about Lasik and if I am with
patients I can call you later. The office number
is 202 544-1900. If you wish to come in for a free
consultation, just let my staff know and I will be
happy to see you in person. Unlike the discount
centers, I do all my own evaluations and patient
discussions personally.
Leonard Friedman MD Washington D

It is important to take great care in selecting your surgeon. There are some LASIK centers that hire a LASIK surgeon to fly around the country to perform LASIK. The problem with this system is that it is certainly possible for you to have a problem after LASIK that if fixed in a timely manner will not cause any permanent visual loss. But if your surgeon is only in town for one day a week or so, then you could have a problem, but need to wait for the surgeon to return to town.

Best of luck

Bill Trattler, MD
Miami, FL

You both just trashed a fellow doctor's reputation with speculation. Can you provide any more of your "expert" insight into why this surgeon deserves this type of slander?

Please elaborate on this doctor's qualifications.

RJL

Please read my postings. My first posting said: "I do not know this doctor, so I can not comment positevely or negatively. "

My second posting discussed the issue of flying surgeons across country to perform LASIK for a day. This is a very important topic, and one a potential patient would not know to ask. I am not saying that this is the case - I am saying here to find out whether this is the case.
I can tell you that in Florida, the corporate LASIK center mentioned above flys their surgeon in for the day.

"It is important to take great care in selecting your surgeon. There are some LASIK centers that hire a LASIK surgeon to fly around the country to perform LASIK. The problem with this system is that it is certainly possible for you to have a problem after LASIK that if fixed in a timely manner will not cause any permanent visual loss. But if your surgeon is only in town for one day a week or so, then you could have a problem, but need to wait for the surgeon to return to town."

:I have never heard of this Doctor. Is this one of
those discount Eye Surgery Centers? "

He is not slandering this doctor in this posting either.

I do not know anything about this doctor, so again I can not say anything positive or negative

Bill Trattler, MD
Miami, FL

If I might add in defense of the attack on both doctors, I think this issue only came up from my question as to what it meant when a doctor is apparently doing surgery in one state, but their license appears to be from another, as with Dr. Tanchel. I opened up the speculation that this doctor could be an "import," and all I saw in response was a reply to each issue independently. (1) He didn't know the doctor, and (2) he cautioned against seeing a surgeon who is flown in.

OK, I'll do an internet search...

"Dr. Nancy A. Tanchel, Diplomate, American Board of Ophthalmology is one of the most experienced Laser Surgeons in the United States having performed over 5,000 procedures since 1997. Having received the Mary Bielaski Chemistry award and topping the Dean's List it is no surprise that Dr. Tanchel has become a well-respected and extremely successful LASIK Surgeon. After attending the prestigious Johns Hopkins University and Emory University School of Medicine and serving as Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of South Florida Department of Ophthalmology, she gained extensive experience performing LASIK surgery for Beacon Eye Center and TLC.

Dr. Tanchel not only is a very successful LASIK Surgeon, she is also praised as an excellent cataract Surgeon. Dr. Tanchel has also participated in numerous clinical studies and was Special Assistant to the Office of Health and Environmental Assessment of the United States, and Environmental Protection Agency in Washington D.C.

LASIK Procedures Performed: more than 5,000."

The assumption that she is "flown in" appears to be false as well, as she apparently *TRANSFERRED* practice from Florida to Virginia recently.

I will e-mail Dr Tanchel with this URL if she wants to continue this "discussion".

Is there some reason why I SHOULDN'T be sickened by all this?

>Is there some reason why I SHOULDN'T be sickened
>by all this?

Yes, because there was absolutely no comment on Dr. Tanchel's ability, personality, or anything. Nothing, nada, zip. Why do you feel you have to sputter with righteous indignation on behalf of someone you don't even know over posts you misinterpretted. I should HOPE that a doctor with such credentials has better things to do with her time than rush to some website to defend some imagined slight on her reputation.

Threads evolve. It went from the doctor to another concern entirely having nothing to do with her. You're getting upset over nothing.

Thank you for that information. We more than encourage positive information about other doctors, and it is helpful that you were able to post information about her experience here so that others can benefit from that information.
Again - there was never a positive or negative mention made, as I do not know anything about her. I can not know how good every doctor is, and thus when a person asks a question about a doctor it is helpful when a person such as your self can post a positive remark.
Of course - better than researching her bio from her website online would be if someone like yourself had surgery with her and could say that they had a great experience with her. If she has done 5000 surgeries, then atleast some people on the internet have had her as a surgeon, or have a friend who had surgery with her.
Again, thank you for your comments

Bill Trattler, MD
Miami, FL

I must agree with the replies to your assumption
that we were "trashing" someone. I have practiced
in Washington DC for over 20 years, I know most of
the surgeons in our region but as I stated I have
never heard of this doctor. Since I don't know
anything about her personally I can't comment
about her skills. I am curious where you got
your information about her.
Leonard Friedman MD Washington DC.....

Here is the website for Laser vision Institute, with the page that lists all of the surgeons:

http://www.laservisioninstitute.com/html/physicians.html

As you can see from this page- Dr. Tanchel appears to be only located in one location. But please note that other surgeons service multiple locations - that is they fly into various cities to perform LASIK.
So if Dr. Tanchel is always in Vienna, then the issue a raised above about surgeons flying in and out of a city is not an issue for her, but may be an issue for other doctors.
I would be more than happy to receive some positive feedback on Dr. Tanchel.

Bill Trattler, MD
Miami, FL

LVI has been running half page ads as well as a glossy Sunday insert featuring Dr. Tanchel in the Washington Post. Her bio is set forth in the ad as it is on the web site. Wonder how they can afford the low prices as advertised and pay their advertising bill.

You asked a good question which I can't answer.
Have you heard of Dot Com companies who were
losing buckets of money trying to get market
share. I can only guess that this company has
some corporate plan to be economically successful
by spending lots of money. My personal bias is to
continue to have a healthy practice by giving top
care and if I don't do as many procedures then so
be it. I have been practicing this way for over
20 years and I wouldn't be surprised if I am still
practicing medicine after the discount surgery
centers are no longer here. I do know that at
least one has gone bankrupt in our area. Wouldn't
you like to know that your surgeon will still be
here indefinitly?
Leonard Friedman MD Washingt

You mentioned one discount surgery center has already gone bankrupt. That's why asked the question about "lifetime" guarantees (that no one has answered). Whose lifetime? So, the discount center goes bankrupt. Does that mean that if you need an enhancement or other care you're out of luck? Or, does that mean the doctor who actually performed the surgery, wherever they may go, will take care of you? What if, heaven forbid, the surgeon dies. does a partner in the practice take you on?

I'm still trying to find out what a "lifetime" guarantee really means. My doctor has a 5 year guarantee, which sounds more realistic to me. If he said "lifetime" I probably would have been suspicious and gone someplace else. I'm a very skeptical person (obviously). I know what the answer is ethically, but how does it work in a business model?

It is wonderful that any doctor or firm would be willing to offer patients a "lifetime" of services, but there are some serious problems with this concept when it comes to healthcare. You may want to read http://www.usaeyes.org/faq/subjects/lifetime_commitment.htm

Glenn Hagele
http://USAEyes.org
Patient Advocacy & Surgeon Certification

I am not a doctor.

Since I have a number of patients that have visited Laser vision institute in Ft Lauderdale, I can tell you that one thing that lowers the price is that you basically never see your surgeon before or after the procedure (atleast this is how it was explained to me by my patients who visited their center in South Florida). Again - I am not familiar with the exact way that the Vienna center works, so you can call and find out.
As well - I can tell you that the entire corporate LASIK industry is ghaving troubles - as the stock prices of these companies have dropped dramatically. I do not know whether laser vision institute is part of a publicly traded company, but other companies like TLC, Icon, and LCA have had their stock prices drop dramatically. This may be because (like Amazon.com) that although they have been able to increase the number of LASIK procedures performed, they have not been able to make much of a profit (if any).
There are a few corporate LASIK centers that have gone out of business - including Beacon. I have heard that Icon is combining or boying another corporate LASIK chain called ARIS vision, and that ARIS vision is buying another Candian LASIK corporation called Gimbel Vision.

I hope this is helpful (and interesting)

Best of luck

Bill Trattler, MD
Miami, FL

>LVI has been running half page ads
>as well as a glossy Sunday
>insert featuring Dr. Tanchel in the
>Washington Post. Her bio is
>set forth in the ad as
>it is on the web site.
> Wonder how they can afford
>the low prices as advertised and
>pay their advertising bill.

I know of Dr.Tanchel at the Liberty Eye Center in Vienna, VA. I had my Alase Lazik procedure with her about 3 years and am 100% satisfied with the results. My girlfriend also had her procedure with her last year and is very happy with her results... I had 2 other consults with other doctors in the area and am very happy I had my procedure with her... great office staff as well!

Hi, I just had my Intralase Surgery done on Friday and Dr. Nancy Tanchel did an excellent job. Her nurse was fantastic as well and counted down every procedure letting me know how many seconds I had left of the laser treatments. I was very nervous but Dr. Tanchel and her nurse had excellent bed-side manner and walked me through every detail of the surgery as they were performing it. It was not nearly as bad as I thought it would be. The worst part of the surgery for me was actually the drops they gave me at the very end of the surgery, the antibiotic and steroids irritated my eyes. I would highly recommend this surgery to anyone.. being that I was a -7.3/4 in my left eye and -7.0 in my right and now I am seeing 20/20!! Dr. Tanchel said that my sight will most likely keep getting better and that I could possibly be seeing better than 20/20 within a week or so. I am very excited and I think Dr. Tanchel did a fantastic job!! I wish I had not waited so long to get the procedure done. You will be in good hands if she performs your surgery! Best regards, Ellen