Has anyone had an experience with the Laser Eye Center TLC, in Irvine, CA? Please share. THX.

Hi Farid - hope all is well w/you and your vision. Dr. Antoine Garabet, founder of the Laser Eye Center, based in Glendora, CA has recently been indicted for fraud - Medicare fraud.

If you would like a copy of the article, pls email me at: , with your address or fax# and I'll send you a copy of the news data.

NOW, as for - TLC, The Laser Center -
a Canadian public company, based in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. It is common knowledge that TLC PAID Tiger Woods to not only have LASILK at their facilities, but they also paid him to promote and market this fact.

So, let's first take a look at this from a business perspecitve and
Check out their public Annual Report on:
http://www.tlcir.com/annualreports/2000annualreport/annual_00%20.pdf

Notice on page 13 of the 48 page report, the words:
"The loss for fiscal 1999 was $4.6 million or $0.13 cents per share (loss)"
and the words used to justify the loss:
"(iii) higher marketing costs"

Their stock- TLC LASER EYE CTRS INC (NASDAQ:TLCV) - currently sells at:
Last $3.062 (down $0.04 on 10/27/00).

On page 47 of this last annual report, it states the stock was selling at a high of $53.50 during the first quarter ----
And it now has a value of $3.062 and is still dropping.
That already tells you a lot.

Now, from a patient perspective, let's look at what the patient is NOT getting:

-- The surgeon is NOT the one who has measured the patient's eyes;
-- And therefore the figures programmed into the laser's computer are NOT the one's taken by the surgeon.
-- The patient does NOT meet the surgeon until the moment of surgery.
-- The patient is NOT being surgically operated on by a Cornea Specialist.
-- The patient does NOT meet with the surgeon again, unless there is a problem and then it can be with another surgeon - to lower professional exposure with an unsatisfactory outcome.
-- The patient is NOT followed up by the surgeon post-operatively.

These items list a few of the quality concerns most patients have and should have. For further information, it is always advisable to do your own research and on page 46 of this latest annual report, Dated May 31, 2000, it lists where you may contact them for this and other data.

I hope this has been helpful.

Suzette, thank you very much. Your information is very interesting, also frightenning as I already had my LASIK in that center. But I guess there are different arrangements as I saw a doctor who was recommended to me by a friend and she happened to use TLC for her operations, so there were some differences with my experience. Nevertheless, I posted this message because I am suppose to go back and see my surgeon in 4 months for a possible enhancement and wondered if she'll use TLC again and if their equipment is up to date. Otherwise, an enhancement may not be a good option to correct my residual astigmatism.
Again, thank you for the info and I'll be reading all the report.
Fred

Hi Farid / Fred - I'm pleased to have been helpful and you are welcome.

I understand the verity of your concerns and they are important issues. I feel confident that you have recvd superb guidance from Dr. Trattler and many other helpful fellow LASIK pts from this site. I am fairly sure your surgeon's and the TLC facility's equipment where she operates is up-to-date. (Can you imagine a doctor NOT wanting the latest and greatest to offer his patient's - I think not.) So, you should have little worry in that regard.

Find out your surgeon's email or fax # and address these issues before you come back. If you can save all your emails and the responses and present them to her before you arrive, she will have ample opportunity to direct her attention to each issue as it pertains to your eyes.

And when the time comes, I'm sure all barriers, fears, objections and concerns of yours will have been met to your comfort and confidence, and you and she will be able to proceed with the treatment (if necessary) that best fits your needs.

It's truly awesome to witness the research that individuals interacting with this site have done re LASIK. Ah..., if only we could get the general population to become so involved with all other aspects of their individual health care - what a better world we would have - from both a physician / surgeon's and patient's perspective, yes?

Best of luck. :)

Hello, once again, Farid.
I wanted to further clarify a point for greater understanding on your part.

Many surgeons choose to use a laser they like best at another facility, for which they pay a fee, per eye, to utilize. This is called "Open Access" use and is common practice.

However, do remember what Dr. Trattler has stated on many occasions - it truly is the SURGEON and not the laser that should be your primary concern. So, if you are satisfied with the skill and care of your surgeon, you should have little worry in that regard - but it never hurts to double check anything you are uncomfortable with or unsure of. Therefore, you may wish to contact the facility and get their reaction and ask them about the laser and upgrades currently being used, how often it is serviced and recalibrated, etc.

You may also wish to ask your surgeon why she chose TLC's laser above all others.

Hope that helps. Best regards,

Suzette

Excellent points, Suzette.

I do have confidence in my surgeon and I know if I were nearby, most of my concerns would have already been addressed. If there is one advice I like to give to folks considering LASIK, it would be not to travel to undergo the procedure. It all comes from the misconception that LASIK is a 20-minute procedure and then you'll be all done.

Thanks again for your help.
Farid

I had laser surgery at TLC and then had to get a cornea transplant after TLC dumped me:
http://www.tlcvision.org/