You may occasionally hear the claim that eye surgeons would never choose to undergo vision correction themselves. Understandably, this can raise questions about how confident medical professionals really are in the procedures they perform. At EuroEyes, several of our highly experienced surgeons have chosen to become patients themselves. Most recently, Dr Hans-Göran Helgason and Dr Andriy Petrunya placed their own eyesight in the hands of colleagues within the EuroEyes Group.
For surgeons who understand every stage of diagnosis, treatment and recovery, choosing their own clinical team is a powerful expression of professional trust. This confidence is supported by decades of international experience. EuroEyes has also been recognised by ZEISS for implanting more ZEISS trifocal lenses than any other clinic group worldwide for ten consecutive years.
Dr Hans-Göran Helgason: “I Trust the Company. I Trust You.”
Dr Hans-Göran Helgason is a highly experienced ophthalmic surgeon specialising in laser and lens-based vision correction. Like the other high-volume surgeons at EuroEyes, he performs a considerable number of procedures each year.
His experience gives him a detailed understanding of how diagnostic accuracy, patient selection, technology and surgical precision contribute to a successful treatment journey. Around 21 years earlier, Dr Helgason chose implantable contact lenses to correct his short-sightedness. An implantable contact lens, commonly known as an ICL, is positioned inside the eye while leaving the natural lens in place.
As Dr Helgason grew older, his visual requirements changed due to presbyopia. This natural age-related process reduces the eye’s ability to focus clearly on close objects and often creates a growing dependence on reading glasses.
For Dr Helgason, returning to glasses was not the solution he wanted. Following a comprehensive assessment, the decision was made to remove his existing ICLs and replace his natural lenses with trifocal lens implants.
Trifocal lenses are designed to provide useful vision across near, intermediate and distance ranges, helping suitable patients reduce their dependence on different pairs of glasses.
Dr Helgason placed his care in the hands of EuroEyes founder Dr Jørn Slot Jørgensen, telling him:
“I trust the company. I trust you.”
For Dr Jørgensen, being selected by an experienced surgical colleague was a meaningful professional endorsement:
“It is an honour to carry out the procedure.”
When asked how he felt shortly before treatment, Dr Helgason answered honestly:
“I feel good. Not too nervous.”
Even an eye surgeon can experience a few nerves when it is their own vision being treated. The difference is that Dr Helgason understood precisely what the procedure involved and knew the experience of the surgeon performing it.
Immediately after his lens procedure, he described how different it felt to experience the operation as a patient:
“It was effortless. It was strange because I couldn’t see what he was doing and I didn’t feel anything. Although I have performed this operation thousands of times myself, I couldn’t identify the individual steps during the procedure.”
Watch Dr Helgason’s complete treatment journey:
Dr Andriy Petrunya: “I Feel Comfortable and I Trust EuroEyes”
Dr Andriy Petrunya is another of the EuroEyes Group’s leading refractive and lens surgeons. Having performed thousands of procedures for his own patients, he understands the importance of careful planning and consistent surgical technique.
When someone who operates on eyes every day decides to undergo treatment themselves, their choice is informed by clinical knowledge that most patients do not possess. Dr Petrunya knew the procedures, lens technology and surgeons available throughout the international EuroEyes network.
When asked whether he felt nervous before his procedure, Dr Petrunya replied:
“No. I feel comfortable and I trust EuroEyes, especially Dr Jørgensen.”
Watch Dr Petrunya discuss his feelings before undergoing treatment:
What Does It Mean When Eye Surgeons Choose Their Own Clinic?
A surgeon choosing treatment within their own organisation does not remove the potential risks or limitations associated with surgery. It does, however, offer an unusual insight into their confidence in the people, processes and technology behind that treatment.
Experienced surgeons know which questions to ask. They understand the importance of:
- Detailed diagnostic measurements
- Careful assessment of treatment suitability
- Accurate and personalised surgical planning
- Consistent clinical protocols
- Experienced surgical decision-making
- Structured postoperative care
Dr Helgason and Dr Petrunya could evaluate these factors from a professional perspective before choosing the EuroEyes team for their own eyes.
Decades of International Experience Recognised by ZEISS
The trust shown by EuroEyes surgeons is supported by the wider experience of the clinic group.
EuroEyes was established in 1993 and has developed an international network of 43 clinics. Across the Group, its teams have performed more than one million vision-correction procedures, covering laser eye surgery, implantable contact lenses, refractive lens exchange and cataract treatment.
This scale of experience allows EuroEyes surgeons to work within established diagnostic, surgical and aftercare pathways while still creating an individual plan for each patient.
The Group has also received international recognition for its work with trifocal lens technology. EuroEyes has been recognised by ZEISS as the world’s leading implanter of ZEISS trifocal lenses for ten consecutive years.
This achievement represents more than the number of lenses implanted. It reflects sustained experience in patient assessment, lens selection, surgical technique and postoperative management across a wide variety of prescriptions and visual requirements.
Why Surgical Experience Matters
Vision-correction procedures may follow an established sequence, but every pair of eyes is different. Corneal thickness, eye shape, prescription, natural lens clarity, retinal health and lifestyle can all influence which treatment is most appropriate. Performing a high number of procedures gives surgeons experience across both straightforward and more complex cases. It can also help them recognise when a patient would benefit from an alternative treatment or when surgery should not be recommended.
At EuroEyes, treatment planning begins with detailed diagnostic testing. The purpose is not simply to determine whether surgery is technically possible, but to identify the option most likely to suit the patient’s eyes, lifestyle and long-term visual goals.
The Same Standard of Care for Every Patient
Whether the person undergoing treatment is a patient, a surgeon, a colleague or a member of the EuroEyes team, the same essential clinical principles apply. Every treatment journey should include an appropriate examination, a clear discussion of benefits and limitations, careful procedure selection and structured aftercare. The fact that experienced surgeons choose their own colleagues does not guarantee an identical result for every patient. It does, however, demonstrate the confidence those surgeons place in the clinical standards they work with every day.
Trust the Team Chosen by Eye Surgeons
Choosing vision correction is a personal decision. It is natural to want reassurance about the surgeon, technology, diagnostic process and care you will receive. When specialists who perform eye surgery themselves choose EuroEyes for their own treatment, they do so with a deep understanding of what high-quality care requires. Patients at EuroEyes London can access the same international expertise and personalised approach at our clinics in Knightsbridge and Westfield White City.
Book your complimentary EuroEyes consultation to find out which vision-correction options may be suitable for your eyes.
