Ophthalmic laser surgery: therapeutic implications for the primary physician

This paper represents the results of a retrospective study on the diagnosis and treatment of 102 consecutive patients who received laser surgery in a general ophthalmic practice during the period of August 1989 to September 1991. The purpose of the study is to document and interpret the type of eye disorders that lend themselves to definitive laser treatment. The goal of this article is to enhance the awareness of non-ophthalmologists in their pivotal and vital role in referring patients to an ophthalmologist for evaluation of the basic disease processes which, left untreated, can lead to vision impairment or blindness.