Doctor's work nowadays is just holding your head while the machine cuts the flap, burns your eye to the pre-calculated geometry and applies flap to it's place. And then a little correction of a flap, to make sure that it is in place.
So the parameters you should consider are:
- flap cutting method (by laser, sapphire blades etc)
- laser working diameter (should be more than your pupil's size, or you will have night and dim-light vision problems - halos)
- how calming the doctor is
- what emergency measures do they have is case of problems with the procedure or after-procedure complications.
You should get a good amount of pre-operation procedures and know of possible complications, and know, do you qualify for correction. There are a lot of conditions when you shouldn't have the procedure.
I had a high myopia. Really high, like huge glasses. I've made a wavefront-guided LASIK procedure three years ago, the most expensive one they got at the clinic. I have applied drops for one and a half months as per doctor's order and haven't used them since, I don't have the dry eyes problem. Drops, btw, are just antibiotics and steroids to speed up the healing process.
It takes time to get used to the new optics of eyes. I had near-sighted face mimics for about 18 months (you know that when you see a nearsighted person without glasses). I had sensed some fatigue in my eyes for an year. I still have halos at night and my astigmatism hasn't gone away completely. But I think, it worth the inconvenience.
I have a great vision, something like 20/20 by the measuring, but it's not like the one I had as a child, when I had a perfect vision. It's not THAT good, but it's better than glasses and contacts.
Think of LASIK not as a cure: it's just like a always-on contact lenses, but better. After all, it's just a cosmetic surgery.