LASIK Eye Surgery Cost

If you are considering corrective eye surgery you will want to start by finding out how much does LASIK cost? LASIK surgery can allow you the freedom to put down your glasses and contacts permanently, but there are costs and risks associated with having the procedure completed.

While most people associate LASIK eye surgery as a simple procedure that can cure your vision issues, you should be aware that there are different types of procedures to choose from, which may influence your decision. Most people defer the two basic types of surgery as blade based and bladeless. InterLase is the new technology that allows the physician to reshape the cornea without any kind of blade. Microkeratome is the procedure that is completed with a small incision along the cornea.

While prices can swing up and down from one ophthalmologist to another, most people can expect to spend between $1,700 and $3.000 per eye when they opt for this procedure. Each eye is treated as a unique entity. Whenever you talk with an eye surgeon about the possibility of LASIK eye surgery, you should anticipate that each eye will be treated, and quoted, as its own procedure.

When you are discussing the potential risks and potential advantages of having LASIK surgery done, it is significant to point out that most patients respond better to the bladeless procedure. However, there are patients that for one reason or another will actually respond better to the bladed version of the procedure. Since there are some advantages to each type of procedure and there are disadvantages to each procedure it is important to discuss what is best for your eye health with an experienced professional.

LASIK procedures are based on the ability to reshape the cornea which changes the way light is refracted inside the eye. Depending on whether you have astigmatism or other eye issues, you may or may not have the same options as someone without any eye health issues. Only a professional can determine such things.

Be a bit wary of advertised prices for LASIK that seem extremely low. While these offers can be tempting, they are often based on the price of only the process of fixing a single cornea and are advertised without any of the other associated costs, such as the office visit, medications, and follow up visits. Even with a very low advertised price there is a very high likelihood that you will end up paying more overall.

The quality and abilities of your surgeon is extremely important. While we tend to believe that LASIK surgery is a run of the mill procedure, saving a little money to put your eye health at risk is generally not worth it. Choosing your procedure is wisely is just as important as choosing your LASIK surgeon wisely. Some fluctuations in pricing are normal, but a significantly reduced cost can be a warning sign.

Understanding what you can expect LASIK cost can help you determine if the overall result is worth the price. Since most people with glasses or contacts have continually deteriorating vision, the LASIK cost is still often a much more fiscally reasonable way to go about correcting your vision.

If you are wondering about the cost of LASIK eye surgery, it does differ somewhat according to where you live. The cost also depends on the surgeon’s experience and the technology that he will be using. A final factor is the amount of correction that will need to be done on your eyes.

The bottom line is that the cost can vary anywhere for five hundred dollars to twenty-five hundred dollars per eye. Of course, you should not choose surgeons based on cost alone. Lower costs may mean a less skilled surgeon or one who is using less precise equipment.

LASIK runs a little more in metropolitan areas that it does in some other areas. Part of the reason for this is that doctors working in metropolitan areas must have the newest technology to remain competitive. Even with this variation, the average cost of LASIK eye surgery is consistent from one region of the nation to another. For some people, the newer technology is worth the increase in price.

Be sure that the price you are quoted includes everything you will need for the surgery. Otherwise you may find a few surprise bills that appear in your mailbox after the surgery or when you need to go for follow up care. You should know what you are paying for before writing any checks or signing any paperwork. You will appreciate that you took the time to find this information before the surgery so that you are not surprised by bills.

Newer technology will cost you more. If your doctor uses the technology that allows him to cut the flap in your eye with a laser instead of a knife, the surgery will cost more. If he uses wavefront technology to map your cornea, it is going to cost more. Each of these technologies can add an additional cost of two to five hundred dollars for each eye, so you could easily add two thousand dollars to the overall cost of LASIK eye surgery just by adding these two technologies.

A word to the wise, some laser eye surgery centers may advertise very low prices, but require additional services that will cost your more than the advertised fee. In fact, you may find that their fees add up to more than a doctor with a much better reputation down the street. Other surgeons have a advertised price that only includes minimal correction to the eyes. Most people seeking LASIK need more than a minimal correction, so the fee can be much more than that advertised. Do not forget, you always have the option of seeking a second opinion.

Sometimes the surgeon charging the lower fee lacks the experience of the more expensive surgeons. Find out why his fee is less than everyone else.

Just because you choose the most expensive surgeon is also no guarantee that your surgeon is the best either. Be sure that you check out the LASIK surgeon you are planning to use. Seek the recommendation of friends and family ass well as your optometrist and your family doctor. Take the time to check the records of complaints against the surgeon with your state medical board.