EyeWorld is the official news magazine of the American Society of Cataract & Refractive Surgery.
Issue link: https://digital.eyeworld.org/i/115557
March 2013 EW NEWS & OPINION 3 Why your LASIK marketing may not be working by Eric D. Donnenfeld, M.D. After 20 years and millions of eyes, ARSC survey finds LASIK misunderstood by prospects A fter more than two decades and 16 million procedures, you would think that LASIK would be a very well understood procedure by prospective patients. You would be wrong. A survey conducted by the American Refractive Surgery Council (ARSC) confirms LASIK satisfaction rates are high and the majority of participants believe more people should have the procedure performed. But in spite of that, misperceptions about LASIK persist, and your marketing could be doing more to educate patients. This is a matter of some urgency. The misperceptions we are talking about are not just mild factual errors. They create barriers to the procedure that deny patients the benefits of LASIK—barriers that traditional marketing cannot address. The fact that prospective patients are confused about LASIK means that many of them—many who would be good candidates—are delaying or deciding not to have the procedure. What are consumers confused about? Consider these results. In September 2012, ARSC surveyed 329 adult Americans who are considering LASIK and 120 who have had the procedure. Among the key findings: • More than 80% of survey respondents who wear eyeglasses or contact lenses said they are considering LASIK. However, only 2% have consulted a LASIK surgeon. • Surprisingly, the number one reason cited for not having LASIK was concern over the need for a second procedure. • Very few survey participants expressed concern over LASIK's healing process, which, interestingly, requires their participation to manage. However, significant concerns over very rare or unheard of side effects persisted. In my mind, the opportunity is clear: Educating the public with clarity and consistency can reduce confusion and improve market conditions. Investment in the patient education process would go a long way toward putting risks in appropriate context by providing a venue to thoroughly address all concerns. In the process, expectations are managed and patients are empowered to make confident, informed choices about LASIK. The ARSC survey found that we, physicians and eyecare professionals, have a huge influence on the decision to have LASIK. In light of the ongoing regulatory scrutiny of LASIK advertising, our influence can best be served by an educational, rather than promotional, approach to our patient prospects. The maturation of the procedure with almost two decades of satisfied patients and dedication to innovation in technology and technique have certainly improved clinical outcomes. But in the rush to talk up what is new, different, and better about today's LASIK, we may have overlooked the need to educate patients on the fundamentals of the procedure. This may have, unintentionally, contributed to the confusion consumers continue to express. Most of us focus our marketing on our expertise and our technology. While the ARSC survey shows that patients care about both, the findings also clearly demonstrate that patients need more. Perhaps we are assuming too much of our patient prospects. We know that patients who are better informed are more likely to be satisfied with the procedure, underscoring the benefits of going back to basics about LASIK. ARSC has been working since 2010 on marketplace education to improve the public's understanding of LASIK as well as other laser and lens-based technologies. The ARSC website, www.americanrefractivesurgery council.org, offers articles, graphics, and downloadable checklists. It also has a blog that addresses timely topics for people who are beginning to think about LASIK or who are well down the path to committing to it, and who need help to answer their questions, think through the risks and benefits, understand how LASIK can improve their day-to-day lives, and find their way to choosing a surgeon. If you are interested in going back to basics with your marketing message, the content from ARSC offers an unbranded, up-to-date, and thorough primer on the subject. EW Council and incoming president of ASCRS. Editors' note: Dr. Donnenfeld is a member of the American Refractive Surgery Contact information Donnenfeld: ericdonnenfeld@gmail.com Caution: United States Federal Law restricts this device to sale and use by or on the order of a physician or licensed eye care practitioner. Indication: The LenSx® Laser is indicated for use in patients undergoing cataract surgery for removal of the crystalline lens. Intended uses in cataract surgery include anterior capsulotomy, phacofragmentation, and the creation of single plane and multi-plane arc cuts/incisions in the cornea, each of which may be performed either individually or consecutively during the same procedure. Restrictions: t 1BUJFOUTNVTUCFBCMFUPMJFGMBUBOENPUJPOMFTTJOBTVQJOFQPTJUJPO t 1BUJFOUNVTUCFBCMFUPVOEFSTUBOEBOEHJWFBOJOGPSNFEDPOTFOU t 1BUJFOUTNVTUCFBCMFUPUPMFSBUFMPDBMPSUPQJDBMBOFTUIFTJB t 1BUJFOUTXJUIFMFWBUFE*01TIPVMEVTFUPQJDBMTUFSPJETPOMZVOEFSDMPTFNFEJDBMTVQFSWJTJPO Contraindications: t $PSOFBMEJTFBTFUIBUQSFDMVEFTBQQMBOBUJPOPGUIFDPSOFBPSUSBOTNJTTJPOPGMBTFSMJHIUBUONXBWFMFOHUI t %FTDFNFUPDFMFXJUIJNQFOEJOHDPSOFBMSVQUVSF t 1SFTFODFPGCMPPEPSPUIFSNBUFSJBMJOUIFBOUFSJPSDIBNCFS t 1PPSMZEJMBUJOHQVQJM TVDIUIBUUIFJSJTJTOPUQFSJQIFSBMUPUIFJOUFOEFEEJBNFUFSGPSUIFDBQTVMPUPNZ t $POEJUJPOTXIJDIXPVMEDBVTFJOBEFRVBUFDMFBSBODFCFUXFFOUIFJOUFOEFEDBQTVMPUPNZEFQUIBOEUIFFOEPUIFMJVN (applicable to capsulotomy only) t 1SFWJPVTDPSOFBMJODJTJPOTUIBUNJHIUQSPWJEFBQPUFOUJBMTQBDFJOUPXIJDIUIFHBTQSPEVDFECZUIFQSPDFEVSFDBOFTDBQF t $PSOFBMUIJDLOFTTSFRVJSFNFOUTUIBUBSFCFZPOEUIFSBOHFPGUIFTZTUFN t $PSOFBMPQBDJUZUIBUXPVMEJOUFSGFSFXJUIUIFMBTFSCFBN t )ZQPUPOZPSUIFQSFTFODFPGBDPSOFBMJNQMBOU t 3FTJEVBM SFDVSSFOU BDUJWFPDVMBSPSFZFMJEEJTFBTF JODMVEJOHBOZDPSOFBMBCOPSNBMJUZGPSFYBNQMF SFDVSSFOUDPSOFBM erosion, severe basement membrane disease) t )JTUPSZPGMFOTPS[POVMBSJOTUBCJMJUZ t "OZDPOUSBJOEJDBUJPOUPDBUBSBDUPSLFSBUPQMBTUZ t 5IJTEFWJDFJTOPUJOUFOEFEGPSVTFJOQFEJBUSJDTVSHFSZ Warnings: The LenSx® Laser System should only be operated by a physician trained in its use. The LenSx® Laser delivery system employs one sterile disposable LenSx® Laser Patient Interface consisting of an applanation MFOTBOETVDUJPOSJOH5IF1BUJFOU*OUFSGBDFJTJOUFOEFEGPSTJOHMFVTFPOMZ5IFEJTQPTBCMFTVTFEJODPOKVODUJPOXJUI"-$0/¥ instrument products constitute a complete surgical system. Use of disposables other than those manufactured by Alcon may BGGFDUTZTUFNQFSGPSNBODFBOEDSFBUFQPUFOUJBMIB[BSET The physician should base patient selection criteria on professional experience, published literature, and educational courses. Adult patients should be scheduled to undergo cataract extraction. Precautions: t %POPUVTFDFMMQIPOFTPSQBHFSTPGBOZLJOEJOUIFTBNFSPPNBTUIF-FO4Y¥-BTFS t %JTDBSEVTFE1BUJFOU*OUFSGBDFTBTNFEJDBMXBTUF AEs/Complications: t $BQTVMPUPNZ QIBDPGSBHNFOUBUJPO PSDVUPSJODJTJPOEFDFOUSBUJPO t *ODPNQMFUFPSJOUFSSVQUFEDBQTVMPUPNZ GSBHNFOUBUJPO PSDPSOFBMJODJTJPOQSPDFEVSF t $BQTVMBSUFBS t $PSOFBMBCSBTJPOPSEFGFDU t 1BJO t *OGFDUJPO t #MFFEJOH t %BNBHFUPJOUSBPDVMBSTUSVDUVSFT t "OUFSJPSDIBNCFSGMVJEMFBLBHF BOUFSJPSDIBNCFSDPMMBQTF t &MFWBUFEQSFTTVSFUPUIFFZF Attention: 3FGFSUPUIF-FO4Y¥-BTFS0QFSBUPST.BOVBMGPSBDPNQMFUFMJTUJOHPGJOEJDBUJPOT XBSOJOHTBOEQSFDBVUJPOT © 2013 Novartis 1/13 LSX12233JAD-PI