The Doctor, Technology, The Service You Deserve:

A Life-Changing Decision

LASIK, or Laser Assisted In-Situ Keratomileusis, is the method of using a cool gentle beam to reshape the cornea to eliminate or reduce the need for glasses or contacts. Since approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) LASIK has become the predominant Refractive Surgical procedure of choice. To date over 2 million LASIK procedures have been performed in the United States. LASIK’s popularity has grown so much that a recent report in Ophthalmology Times indicates that LASIK will soon eclipse cataract surgery as the most common surgical procedure in the United States. For many, changing their vision has literally changed their life; giving them freedom to live without glasses and experience a clear new world. So whether you are a firefighter looking to improve your job performance or an artist making sure you have the right art supplies before you start painting, Lasik can help you experience life to its fullest.

Since LASIK is such a life-altering decision, it is one that should be carefully made. For those who are considering it, selecting where to have their procedure is sometimes the hardest choice of all. With a concentration of surgeons in the Boston area, picking the right one can become confusing. Many centers purport to be “the best,” and boast of having the most experienced doctor and advanced technology. However, fancy advertisements and messaging about a particular laser center can be misleading. Decisions should be carefully made based on the qualifications of the doctor, the technology used, and the reputation of the center. LASIK is a common and very successful procedure, but the doctor performing it and the technology used can affect your outcome. When considering a particular center, make sure to find out who the doctor is that will be performing your surgery, because some centers have more than one surgeon, whom you may not even meet until the day of surgery. Ask about their qualifications, how long they have been doing surgery, and how many procedures they have done. It is best to choose a doctor who has completed at least 3,000 LASIK surgeries, since studies have shown that the complication rate diminishes with the increased numbers of surgery a doctor has performed. Also make sure to choose a surgeon who is a fellow of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. Fellows must pass a rigorous board certification exam and conform to a strict code of ethics. In addition, get referrals from other doctors or from patients who have had LASIK. If a doctor will not give you names of his past LASIK patients you may want to look elsewhere for a practice that has plenty of happy patients willing to give testimonials. Lastly, when considering a center and surgeon, remember to beware of advertisements for “low cost” surgery. As you know, you often get what you pay for. The potential savings are not worth the risk of receiving less than expert care with older technology.


Even after considering the surgeon, many people still question why they should choose one LASIK practice over another. In addition to the level of skill and experience of the surgeon, other factors that help differentiate between LASIK centers are the technology and level of service. Many prospective LASIK candidates are apprehensive about the procedure itself; especially the idea of someone operating on their eye. Working with a friendly and informative staff and finding out about the technology can help alleviate fear and clarify any misconceptions. First, it helps to find out if the surgery will be performed with a blade. The idea of a blade cutting into the cornea can be unnerving. If the center is offering the procedure with the Intralase blade-free laser, you may feel much more comfortable about having it done. It is important to know that not every center is offering blade-free LASIK either; many doctors still perform the traditional version of the procedure with a handheld microkeratome blade. Inquiring candidates should also ask about the doctor’s surgical complication rate. For top surgeons, the figure should be under one half of one percent.

An Easy Choice

At The Nielsen Eye Center we try to make LASIK an easy decision for you by providing an experienced doctor, the most advanced and safest technology available, and exemplary service. We call this The Nielsen Advantage: “The Doctor, The Techonology, The Service You Deserve.” The advantage of having Dr. Nielsen as your surgeon is clear: he is experienced and highly skilled and trained in the care of all areas of the eye. He is a board certified ophthalmologist who did his residency at the world renowned Doheny Institute. In practice since 1992, he has nearly 20 years of experience and even participated in the early FDA Trials for Lasik. Dr. Nielsen has completed over 25,000 surgeries and was the first surgeon in the New England region to do bi-lateral LASIK, which is now the industry standard. He is not just a LASIK surgeon; he is a Cataract, Refractive and LASIK specialist and is the most-experienced multi-focal Intraocular Lens Implantation surgeon North of New York. Dr. Nielsen is so confident with the procedure, the technology he uses, and his skill, that he has performed the surgery on his wife, adult children, brother and various other relatives.

Dr. Nielsen utilizes the most advanced technological platform available for his LASIK procedures: the Intralase Blade-free laser coupled with the Allegretto Eye-Q WaveLight Excimer laser. With wavefront principles and Pure Pulse technology, the Allegretto Eye-Q ensures safe and precise work at a high speed. Furthermore, the Allegretto WaveLight is the only laser approved by the FDA to reduce halo and glare. Dr. Nielsen can even use it to correct astigmatism during the LASIK procedure. It is the fastest Excimer laser system available in the U.S.; the faster the treatment, the less dehydration to the cornea. Treatment is usually less than 15 seconds and is always customized to each individual’s prescription and cornea. Other lasers on the market use the same treatment for each person. In addition, the Allegretto is the only laser to keep the cornea as round as possible, unlike others that flatten the cornea and contribute to higher order aberrations such as halo, glare and problems with night vision. The Allegretto Eye-Q also tracks the eyes movement 400K times per second, and if the eye moves too much the laser stops. The Nielsen Eye Center always trades up to the newest model of the laser. Other practices may keep the lasers around for 10-20 years and many still use the Visx laser, which is more likely to be affected by temperature and humidity. The Nielsen Eye Center only offers Blade-free custom Intralase LASIK; we do not have a la carte options that include purchasing traditional LASIK using the microkeratome blade at a lower price. One price covers everything: it is an “all inclusive package,” if you will, with 0% financing available. Our patients’ preoperative evaluation and testing, medication for the day of surgery, facility fees, and post operative eye exams for the next year are all covered. At The Nielsen Eye Center we stand by our results: we have never had a case of infection in over 25,000 surgeries, and as long as patients come to all of their post-operative appointments, we will do any necessary enhancements for free.

Another thing that sets The Nielsen Eye Center apart is our service. We are a full service vision center that offers everything from routine care, contact lens evaluations, special testing and treatment of diseases of the eye, and cosmetic services such as eyelid surgery and Botox. We are not just a LASIK center; we specialize in care for all areas of the eye and offer a comprehensive roster of services to provide our patients with the best overall eye care plan possible. The Nielsen Eye Center provides each and every interested LASIK candidate with the opportunity to have a FREE VIP consultation with Dr. Nielsen. These free comprehensive evaluations include a full eye exam and testing to determine whether or not you are a candidate, and a one on one meeting with Dr. Nielsen. In addition, we assign a personalized Patient Advocate to each and every one of our refractive patients to answer their questions, and assist with scheduling, financing and all the other details that are involved in preparing for a surgical procedure. We will never recommend LASIK to someone who is not an ideal candidate. Dr. Nielsen will only do LASIK on someone if he expects them to have excellent results, and if they are not medically a LASIK candidate, he will offer them the option of having an alternative procedure such as Visian ICL permanent contact lenses or a refractive lens exchange with intraocular lenses that offer different ranges of vision. The Nielsen Eye Center also offers concierge level service that includes complementary coffee, education about refractive surgery via flat screen TVs in our patient education and internet café stations, and a spa-like setting with three different waiting areas to accommodate our patients. In addition, we offer a complimentary van service for our refractive patients who need rides to and from surgery and post-operative appointments. Lastly, we will refer any LASIK candidate to our patients who have already had refractive surgery, so that if they are undecided they can call and ask questions.

The Next Step

There are many things to consider when choosing a LASIK center. Remember to carefully take into account all the factors, and do your background research when considering one center over another. The best way to really find out who is best for you is to go in for a consultation and meet the doctor. Then find out about the technology and assess whether or not the level of service meets your expectations. Make sure your evaluation is free and that you will not have to come back and pay for testing. At the Nielsen Eye Center we understand that this can be an intimidating decision-making process, so we try to make the choice to have your procedure with us easy. We believe that you deserve the very best in care, and will never settle when it comes to providing you with an experienced doctor, the best technology and the service that you deserve.

The Nielsen Eye Center was established in 1991 and has two convenient locations on the South Shore: 300 Congress Street, Quincy and 99 Derby Street, Hingham. To learn more about LASIK and The Nielsen Eye Center, or to schedule your free LASIK consultation, please visit www.golasik.com, or call: 877-373-2020.