John D. Dugan, MD

I had PRK (similar to LASIK) done in March 2011 with Dr. Dugan. I’m glad I checked around and found him. He (and the offices of two other Wills affiliated doctors that I checked) recommends PRK over LASIK and he doesn’t even perform LASIK anymore.
From what I’ve deduced, LASIK is marketed more because patients get in and out quickly, so these «LASIK mills» can do dozens of operations a day. If you actually talk to a place like Kremer, they do offer PRK if LASIK isn’t right for a patient.
I’m not a medical professional, but in summary PRK and LASIK use similar techniques. The main difference is that LASIK requires cutting a flap on your cornea, and that flap is what can cause problems later on. PRK does take longer to heal, but not that long, maybe a week, and requires some extra visits, I think it was one the day after, one the week after, and one the month after.
These are your eyes, so don’t choose a technique or Dr. because it gets you in and out quicker. Anyway, do your own research. What gives Dr. Dugan a lot of credibility is that he is also Co-​Director of the refractive surgery department at Wills. He also does other types of eye surgery, so he’s well-​rounded. And Wills is one of the top eye hospitals in the US. There are probably only a handful of laser eye surgeons in the Philly area who have better credentials than that.
If you’re wondering about price, PRK with Dr. Dugan was actually cheaper than LASIK with Kremer. And all follow-​up visits are with Dr. Dugan directly and are included in the price. Places like Kremer have you go to an affiliated doctor for follow-​ups (and you pay for it yourself or through your own insurance). Don’t you think it’s better to see the same Dr. who performed the actual surgery? One other cool thing is that even though Dr. Dugan doesn’t directly participate in the eye insurance discounts, he will honor them (It’s actually the Wills Surgery Center that honors them, but you end up getting the discount regardless). I was able to save several hundred since they honored my VSP 15% discount.
If this sounds too good, maybe it is because I healed up really well and am happy with the results. I think Dr. Dugan intimately understands the differences between LASIK and PRK and he’s choosing PRK because it’s best for his patients. He’s not charging more than other places that perform LASIK and he actually provides more service with all the follow-​ups included so I don’t see him making any financial gain from only performing PRK.
Anyway, go talk to at least two other laser eye surgery places and then come seen Dr. Dugan. He didn’t charge me for the initial consultation and has evening hours. You have nothing to lose. And remember, you only have one set of eyes!