SACRAMENTO Calif, May 17, 2006 - People wanting Lasik laser eye
surgery to be rid of glasses will still need to go to a surgeon,
despite claims of a new website. “I didn’t really think that I could
do Lasik myself, what with a laser and all.” says Marsha Thompson
of Raleigh, NC. “But the website looked official so I tried to purchase
the do- it-yourself kit.”
“It is an obvious hoax, but one with both wit and a message”,
reports Glenn Hagele, founder of Lasik patient advocacy organization
USAEyes.org. “The website is a tongue-in-cheek critique of the sometimes
outlandish claims made about Lasik and serves as a warning that
if it sounds too good to be true, it probable is false.” Hagele’s
group published an advisory at
USAEyes.
The Lasik@Home website claims to have been founded in 2004 by
Dr. Amir Khadim, MD, a pioneer in the field of Lasik surgery who
practices at the “prestigious Bennett Eye Care Institute in New
York City”. No such doctor or clinic exists. The website became
active early this month.
“I was suspicious,” claims Lasik patient to be Thompson. “But
the pictures of the four easy steps looked like something I could
do.” An attempt to actually purchase the device results in a website
server error, however hats, t-shirts, and coffee mugs with the Lasik@Home
logo are available for purchase.
An email to the contact address of the website did not yield
a response.
ABOUT THE COUNCIL FOR REFRACTIVE SURGERY QUALITY ASSURANCE
The Council for Refractive Surgery Quality Assurance is a nonprofit
nongovernmental Lasik patient advocacy and Lasik surgeon certification
organization. The organization operates a popular website at
USAEyes
