LIABILITY ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH PRK AND THE EXCIMER-LASER

Given the elective nature of photorefractive keratectomy (PRK), the hi gh expectations of patients, and misconceptions of the general public about refractive surgery, the use of the excimer laser for PRK opens t he door to new liability risks for ophthalmologists and, in the comana gement environs ment, referring optometrists. The authors discuss info rmed consent, marketing, comanagement, and off-label use guidelines an d protocols to help protect ophthalmologists against claims and better defend those that might arise. (C) 1997 by Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.