Overcoming The “Fear Factor”

As an accountant, Jonathan Crowther is used to taking an analytical approach to decision-making. However, as we know from talking to many London Vision Clinic patients, the final decision to have often goes way beyond logical reasoning.

It doesn’t matter how many hours of research are carried out, how many questions and concerns are answered, how terrific the “projected outcome” might be, or even how great the desire to enjoy good eyesight – for many people (like Jonathan) none of the above is quite enough to dispel a lurking fear of the unknown.

Jonathan first mentioned an interest in having his eyes “zapped- to his sister five years ago. At the time Cassie had already begun her career in a Laser Eye Surgery centre in Manchester – she joined the London Vision Clinic in early 2006 – and was well qualified to answer his questions. Which was just as well as the subject was raised frequently at family gatherings over the years.

“He had done the research and had all the answers  … he just had to get over the human element of fear“, she explained.

In her current position as head of patient care coordination, Cassie recognises that many patients are frightened before their procedure and she and her team do their best to explain the reassuring details while emphasising the numerous safety elements that make Laser Eye Surgery a well- established procedure today.

“I decided to take a back seat. I sent him all the information and told him that I was, of course, there if he needed me to speak to me. I took the approach: when he’s ready, when something in his life motivates him enough, he will overcome his concern and see that the potential outcome of going from a -8.00 prescription to a probable 20/20 overnight was just too big a gain to discard.”

For 2017, we have updated this article to ‘Quick guide: Laser Eye Surgery and anxiety’