Lasik Eyes Surgery - Cut the LIES about LVI reusing blades in the last twelve months.

Author

Cut the LIES about LVI reusing blades in the last twelve months.

old dog no tricks

2004-10-23, 7:10 pm

> > Hey Folks,
I am not looking to get involved with all the discussions flowing on
this group, however I have 14 years experience assisting with
refractive surgery, Cryolathing,RK.AK.MKM.HKM,ALK.PRK Lasik. Certified
in B&L, Autonomous,S-4 and back to the Tauton 20/20 (anyone remember
that)I now am employed by LVI and have to object to the blade reuse
LIE. Over the last twelve months I have worked at several midwest LVI
centers and our surgical team HAS NEVER and WILL NEVER do anything to
compromise any patients surgical procedure.I cannont speak for
locations or teams that I have not worked with. Nor will I get
involved with discussions about situations that I do not have direct
absolute knowledge about. And that is all I have to add to this group.
>
RE:
I don't know if this is getting off your topic, but numbers alone
> don't tell the whole story. For instance, discount Lasik provider LVI
> re-uses their one time use microkeratome blades that cost $60 each on
> all their patients during their day.

Glenn - USAEyes.org

2004-10-23, 7:10 pm

Thanks for the clarification. It is good to have a knowledgeable
source on this issue.

I recommend that you do a search on this newsgroup using the keyword
"LVI" and the authors "Ragnar Suomi" and "RM" (same person). He had a
most disconcerting experience with LVI in Florida. You may find his
personal experience enlightening. Whether or not you want to comment
would surely depend upon your first-hand knowledge of the
circumstances.

Are you at AAO in New Orleans?

Glenn Hagele
Executive Director
Council for Refractive Surgery Quality Assurance

Email to glenn dot hagele at usaeyes dot org

http://www.USAEyes.org
http://www.ComplicatedEyes.org

I am not a doctor.

Ragnar Suomi

2004-10-23, 10:08 pm

Take a trip to Tampa LVI and check out their blades. They all have
serial numbers on them. You try to explain why the the number of
LASIK procedures they perform is 10 times more than the number of
blades they order. Those blades are $60 each.
When you visit them, bring some blades with you. They could use a few
fresh ones with an edge on them. I'm amazed that nobody has
complained about jagged edges on their flaps and the consequenses of
that such as epithelial ingrowth.

While you are at it, maybe you can explain why EyeGlasses World which
is a division of LVI paid the state attorney general of Florida
$500,000 rather than go to court over their practice of selling
expired and used contact lenses. Lets hope the previous wearers
didn't have any diseases such as herpes, syphilis, or AIDS.

I don't doubt that you haven't done these things in the MidWest. I
should have specified Florida. I didn't even mention their billing
practices which are a nationwide scam. Just try and get a refund out
of them. I waited 2 months for mine. Any other company I know of
would have refuned the money with one phone call. "Kidnapping"
people's money is standard procedure for LVI.

On 23 Oct 2004 12:30:19 -0700, kb9efn1@yahoo.com (old dog no tricks)
wrote:
[vbcol=seagreen]
>I am not looking to get involved with all the discussions flowing on
>this group, however I have 14 years experience assisting with
>refractive surgery, Cryolathing,RK.AK.MKM.HKM,ALK.PRK Lasik. Certified
>in B&L, Autonomous,S-4 and back to the Tauton 20/20 (anyone remember
>that)I now am employed by LVI and have to object to the blade reuse
>LIE. Over the last twelve months I have worked at several midwest LVI
>centers and our surgical team HAS NEVER and WILL NEVER do anything to
>compromise any patients surgical procedure.I cannont speak for
>locations or teams that I have not worked with. Nor will I get
>involved with discussions about situations that I do not have direct
>absolute knowledge about. And that is all I have to add to this group.
>RE:
>I don't know if this is getting off your topic, but numbers alone

old dog no tricks

2004-10-25, 10:08 pm

I am unable to comment on the Tampa issue that was mentioned,however
as stated previously,there is absolutly no senario in which any of the
members of my team would compromise a patients surgical procedure,nor
have we ever been asked to do anthing other than provide our very best
efforts involving patient care,Our surgeons have great technique, the
clinical staff is very meticulos in obtaining excellect refractions
and related testing, and we all seem to take a great deal of pride in
providing the most accurate treatments possible.
I am certainly unhappy to hear of anyone having a bad outcome relating
to poor technique, as it has the potential to give the entire industry
a black eye(pun intended). again, you all can rest assured that the
midwest region is staffed by a very passionate group of individuals.
I must also add that the refund issue does not occur in our region
either,when we began the current fixed pricing structure the center
managers were directed to provde prompt, courteous refunds.

TW Glenn, I was unable to attend AAO this year, my daughters drama
class presentation took presidence. I beleive we met in Dallas in the
late 90s, you had just started the CRSQ program and I was trying to
convince my Docs to sign up.(unsucccessfully)

> Take a trip to Tampa LVI and check out their blades. They all have>serial umbers on them. You try to explain why the the number of> LASIK procedures they perform is 10 times more than the number of
> blades they order. Those blades are $60 each.

Ragnar Suomi

2004-10-26, 2:08 am

You might have pointed out that there are 3 Musa brothers. One of
them is even an optometrist. They divided up control of the LVI
centers amongst regions. The region that Marco Musa covers (including
Florida) is a disaster. I assume that you are not in that region.
The west coast region of LVI is also a disaster, hopefully you aren't
part of that region either.

On 25 Oct 2004 19:05:53 -0700, kb9efn1@yahoo.com (old dog no tricks)
wrote:
[vbcol=seagreen]
>I am unable to comment on the Tampa issue that was mentioned,however
>as stated previously,there is absolutly no senario in which any of the
>members of my team would compromise a patients surgical procedure,nor
>have we ever been asked to do anthing other than provide our very best
>efforts involving patient care,Our surgeons have great technique, the
>clinical staff is very meticulos in obtaining excellect refractions
>and related testing, and we all seem to take a great deal of pride in
>providing the most accurate treatments possible.
>I am certainly unhappy to hear of anyone having a bad outcome relating
>to poor technique, as it has the potential to give the entire industry
>a black eye(pun intended). again, you all can rest assured that the
>midwest region is staffed by a very passionate group of individuals.
>I must also add that the refund issue does not occur in our region
>either,when we began the current fixed pricing structure the center
>managers were directed to provde prompt, courteous refunds.
>
>TW Glenn, I was unable to attend AAO this year, my daughters drama
>class presentation took presidence. I beleive we met in Dallas in the
>late 90s, you had just started the CRSQ program and I was trying to
>convince my Docs to sign up.(unsucccessfully)
>