LASIK Complications and the Internet: Is the Public being Mislead?

Abstract

BackgroundLASIK (Laser in Situ Keratomileusis) is a very popular combined surgical and laser procedure, which is used to correct myopia (shortsightedness) and hyperopia (farsightedness). There is concern that the public is being misled regarding the safety of the procedure. very popular combined surgical and laser procedure, which is used to correct myopia (shortsightedness) and hyperopia (farsightedness). There is concern that the public is being misled regarding the safety of the procedure.ObjectivesTo assess the quality and quantity of the information on complications on LASIK Web sites. information on complications on LASIK Web sites.MethodSerial analysis and evaluation of the authorship, content, and technical quality of the information on the complications of LASIK on 21 Web sites. content, and technical quality of the information on the complications of LASIK on 21 Web sites.ResultsOf the 21 LASIK Web sites visited, 17 were commercial. Of the 21 Web sites, 5 (24%) had no information on complications. Of the 16 sites that had information on complications the author of the information was clearly identified in 5 (31%), the content was only referenced in 2 (12.5%), and evidence of the information having been updated was only seen in 2 (12.5%). The quantity of information is generally minimal and the information itself is generally difficult to understand and locate. commercial. Of the 21 Web sites, 5 (24%) had no information on complications. Of the 16 sites that had information on complications the author of the information was clearly identified in 5 (31%), the content was only referenced in 2 (12.5%), and evidence of the information having been updated was only seen in 2 (12.5%). The quantity of information is generally minimal and the information itself is generally difficult to understand and locate.ConclusionsThe quality and quantity of the information on the Web on the complications of LASIK are poor. More work is required to encourage clear, accurate, up-to-date, clearly authored, and well-referenced, balanced ophthalmic information. on the Web on the complications of LASIK are poor. More work is required to encourage clear, accurate, up-to-date, clearly authored, and well-referenced, balanced ophthalmic information.

Credibility of online reviews and initial trust

“…Irrespective of the growing importance of the online review in the online tourism domain for the information search process (Xiang and Gretzel, 2009), it is undeniable that people often still obtain incomplete, unauthentic or falsified information from the Internet (Fahey and Weinberg, 2003; Stone and Jumper, 2001). It is difficult to distinguish the good and truthful from false and deceptive online information (Yoo and Gretzel, 2009).…”

Reconnoitering enablers of travelers' online hotel booking intention: moderation of service affordability and perceived pandemic risk

“…Notwithstanding the fact that customer reviews and feedbacks available on hotel websites and other online portals are increasingly becoming popular amongst prospective travelers (Singh and Ranjan, 2019), it cannot be denied that there is a plenty of fabricated, falsified, manipulated and unauthentic information available on the Internet (Fahey and Weinberg, 2003; Matute et al , 2016). It is extremely hard to differentiate between a credible source of information from a misleading one in case of online information (Gretzel et al , 2008).…”

“…It is extremely hard to differentiate between a credible source of information from a misleading one in case of online information (Gretzel et al , 2008). With the advent of Customer Generated Media (CGM) that entitles anyone on the Internet to post any information freely without any filtration process, prospective travelers need to be extremely vigilant before banking on any piece of information available on the Internet (Fahey and Weinberg, 2003; Matute et al , 2016).…”

“…However, potential travelers tend to overcome this intangibility barrier in services to an extent based on gripping information provided by other travelers (Abdullah et al , 2016; Kim et al , 2017; Sparks and Browning, 2011). Nevertheless, it cannot be overlooked that Internet has a rich profusion of distorted, counterfeited, spurious and unauthentic information (Fahey and Weinberg, 2003; Matute et al , 2016; Taylor et al , 2015). It is arduous to make a distinction between a reliable source of information from a deceptive one in the case of online information (Gretzel et al , 2008; Taylor et al , 2015).…”