A refractive surgeon must meet the following primary requirements to be a USAEyes Certified Lasik Surgeon:

• Applicant must have been a licensed eye physician for at least three years prior to receiving certification.
• Applicant must hold a current unrestricted license that provides the legal right to perform refractive surgery.
• Applicant must use only Food & Drug Administration (FDA) approved medical devices unless a party to a FDA approved clinical trial.
• Applicant must have never had refractive surgery enabling licensure restricted or revoked.
• Applicant must have never had hospital or surgical facility privileges revoked.
• Applicant must have never had Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) certification restricted or revoked.
• Applicant may not have been convicted of a felony within the past 7 years.
• Applicant may not be on probation for a felony.
• Within the last five years, applicant may not have had more than one paid malpractice claim of $30,000 (thirty thousand dollars) or more for every 500 refractive surgeries performed.
• Applicant must submit to CRSQA basic outcomes data from 125 consecutive patients (approximately 250 procedures) when requested, approximately once each fiscal year. See Required Patient Outcomes Data.
• The outcomes of submitted cases must fall within CRSQA required postoperative guidelines. (See current Outcomes Requirements)
• Applicant must pay all fees and allowed expenses in a timely manner.

CRSQA's decision regarding certification is final and without appeal. If denied or decertified, applicant may resubmit a request for certification at any time and without prejudice.

• Completed/signed refractive surgeon certification application & agreement.
• Signed authorization for release of information, documents, and/or records.
• Curriculum Vitae
• Medical license photocopy.
• DEA certificate photocopy.
• Current medical malpractice insurance face sheet photocopy.
• Letter from hospital or surgery center affirming current full and active privileges.
• Photograph of doctor. Color 3" X 5"photograph preferred, will accept other.

CRSQA verifies licensure and other credentials of applicants in two steps.

Upon receipt of an application, a verification of standing is requested from a hospital or facility at which the applicant has full privileges. Hospital privileges infer that all credentials are in good order. At the discretion of CRSQA, the affirmation of current credentials from a facility may be used as evidence of an applicant's standing and certification may be expedited. Affirmation of standing can normally be completed within two weeks.

The second step is credential verification using standards set by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA). CRSQA contracts with a Credential Verification Organization (CVO) that verifies all education, training, board certification, licensure, and current competence representations at the source. History of malpractice claims will be verified through the National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB) and/or direct contact with malpractice insurance carriers. NCQA credentialing can be completed within one month, however documentation from sources can be delayed, impeding timely credentialing. If affirmation of current credentials from a facility at which the applicant currently has privileges is attained, CRSQA does not need to wait for the full credentialing process to certify a doctor.

Applicant will provide basic surgical outcomes information on 125 consecutive refractive surgery patients (approximately 250 eyes) for evaluation. It is preferred that all patients received their first refractive surgery at least 60 days prior to submission of outcomes data and not more than 200 days prior to submission of data. The preferred target date of data submission is 180 days (six months) after initial refractive surgery. Most applicants just go back six months then pull charts coming forward until they have 125 patients.

CRSQA considers refractive surgery as a six-month event that includes enhancements and other procedures that may be required to provide the best possible care.

• Date of Data Submission Between 60 & 200 days from surgery
• Patient Identification Number Surgeon's internal identification number
• Patient Street We do not contact the patients directly but need this data.
• Patient Zip Plus-four is preferred but not required
• Patient Sex
• Patient Date of Birth
• Refractive Procedure(s) Performed
• Preoperative Manifest Uncorrected Visual Acuity (UCVA)
• Preoperative Best Corrected Visual Acuity (BCVA)
• Preoperative Prescription
• Target UCVA If not plano.
• Date of First Refractive Procedure
• Enhancement performed (Yes or No)
• Most Recent Postoperative Manifest UCVA
• Most Recent Postoperative BCVA
• Unresolved Complication(s) Glare, Ghosts, Arc, Halo, Haze, Starburst, Striae, Decentered Ablation, Infection, DLK, Dry Eye, etc.