About USAEyes

 
Summary
How To Become Certified
How USAEyes Got Its Start
Definitions
Public Benefit Purpose
Organizational Structure
Primary Activities to Attain Purpose
Funding
Public Audience

Summary

The USAEyes website is operated by the Council for Refractive Surgery Quality Assurance (CRSQA, pronounced SURS-kah), an independent, nonprofit, nongovernmental patient/consumer public benefit health organization created to certify refractive surgeons based upon patient outcomes.

CRSQA provides public information through its popular sister Internet website USAEyes, by monitoring and responding to Internet bulletin boards, newsgroups, and chat rooms, social media, through seminars, publications, and public speakers. CRSQA helps prospective patients identify the better doctors with its 50 Tough Questions For Your Lasik Doctor and by evaluation and certification of refractive surgeons doctors who meet or exceed CRSQA's standards for patient outcomes.

CRSQA is a nonprofit CRSQA is a nongovernmental, nonprofit, tax exempt organization. All members of CRSQA's governing Board of Trustees, and advisory committees are volunteers who do not receive a salary for their work and assistance.

How To Become Certified

To become certified a surgeon must meet credentialing and patient outcome requirements. Please visit Certification Details.

How USAEyes Got Its Start

The Council for Refractive Surgery Quality Assurance was founded by Glenn Hagele after a friend asked him to research information about Lasik doctors' abilities. Full Story

Definitions

Refractive Surgery

...for the purposes of CRSQA, is defined as the surgical manipulation of the eye to effect a change in refractive error.

Refractive Surgeon

...for the purposes of CRSQA, is defined as any individual who is licensed by appropriate authorities to perform refractive surgery.

USAEyes Certified Lasik Doctor;

...is a refractive surgeon who has been determined by CRSQA to meet or exceed all standards as defined by the CRSQA Board of Trustees.

Public Benefit Purpose

The purpose of CRSQA is to educate the United States public on the efficacy of refractive surgery and the availability of qualified refractive surgeons.

Organizational Structure

CRSQA is a non-profit public benefit corporation incorporated in Sacramento County, California. CRSQA is exempt from California state taxes under Section 23701(d) of the California Revenue and Taxation Code and from United States federal taxes under Sub-Section 501(c)(6) of the Internal Revenue Code.

CRSQA is governed by a Board of Trustees. Trustees are not paid for services provided to CRSQA as trustees. The Executive Director facilitates the directives of the Board of Trustees including managing the day-to-day activities of CRSQA.

Primary Activities to Attain Purpose

Refractive Surgery Education, CRSQA will...

…maintain an Internet presence that makes available information about CRSQA, how CRSQA certifies refractive surgeons, comprehensive information regarding refractive procedures generally available;

…maintain a nationwide toll-free phone number (1-800-USA-EYES) with operators who will make available contact information for all USAEyes Certified Lasik Surgeons;

…provide representatives to speak at organizational meetings where an interest in refractive surgery is presumed;

…conduct public discussion groups, panels, lectures, and workshops;

...advise media of issues important to refractive surgery candidates and surgeons. See CRSQA In The News

…publish educational newsletters, pamphlets, books, educational videotapes, or other material relating to refractive surgery;

…educate primary eyecare providers of the availability of USAEyes Certified Lasik Surgeons; and encourage primary eyecare providers to refer candidates for refractive surgery to USAEyes Certified Lasik Surgeons;

…educate medical doctors, including but not limited to cosmetic doctors, of the availability of USAEyes Certified Lasik Surgeons; and encourage medical doctors to refer candidates for refractive surgery to USAEyes Certified Lasik Surgeons;

…educate medical and eyecare insurance providers of the availability of USAEyes Certified Lasik Surgeons; and encourage the medical and eyecare insurance companies to oblige refractive surgery providers to become certified by CRSQA;

…encourage USAEyes Certified Lasik Surgeons; to provide CRSQA published educational brochures about refractive surgery;

…encourage USAEyes Certified Lasik Surgeons; to indicate certification by CRSQA that would include but not be limited to inclusion of the statement "Certified by the Council for Refractive Surgery Quality Assurance" and CRSQA's website address or toll-free telephone number on USAEyes Certified Lasik Surgeon's; marketing materials.

Refractive Surgeon Certification

Using standards set by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), CRSQA verifies licensure and credentials of refractive surgeons seeking CRSQA certification as a qualified refractive surgeon. In addition, CRSQA has established its own standards required for certification. These standards are determined by the CRSQA Board of Trustees.

Funding

Refractive surgeons seeking certification pay CRSQA for initial credentialing and certification plus a quarterly fee for re-certification. CRSQA does not accept charitable donations. More on USAEyes Funding.

USAEyes Certified Lasik Surgeons; pay for educational brochures, seminars, etc. relating to refractive surgery provided by CRSQA.

Public Audience

Refractive Surgery Candidates

Estimates vary, however it is generally accepted that there are over 150 million wearers of corrective lenses in U.S. (54% population). Not all of these individuals would meet the current criteria of a refractive surgery candidate, however as technologies continue to increase the parameters for successful refractive surgery, more candidates qualify.

USAEyes Certified Lasik Doctor Candidates

There are approximately 17,000 ophthalmologists in the US. Additionally, there are approximately 480 optometrists in states that allow optometrists to perform some types of refractive surgery.