Average Cost Of LASIK Eye Surgery
Since many insurance plans will not cover elective surgeries such as LASIK, everyone considering the operation is looking for the average cost of LASIK eye surgery. The good news is that prices today remain affordable for many people, even those who will not have any help from an insurance policy.
First, there are some things you just have to know when comparing prices for eye surgery. For starters, the quotes you receive will always be for just one eye. That means it will double if you are going to have both eyes done at the same time, as most people do.
Second, the exact amount you end up paying may not be the same as what someone else will pay if they go to the same doctor on the same day as you. This is because the doctor has to look at your eyes and determine how much correction needs to be done and how much care you are likely to need after the surgery. This goes into the final decision on price for individual surgeries.
This is the fine print behind those ads that promise super low prices for LASIK surgery. They are quoting the one eye cost for someone who needs very little correction.
There also tends to be great fluctuations in average LASIK prices in different areas of the country and even from one doctor to another within the same geographical location. In general, areas where LASIK is more in demand will have higher prices than areas where the consumer market is not as hot. So, LASIK eye surgery in Chicago would typically cost you more than a rural area, or smaller city.
Doctors also determine their personal rates, usually corresponding to their level of training and the amount of experience they have. You want to go to a licensed professional with some experience as they will have more knowledge as far as the best techniques to use during the surgery. This will bring better results in most cases.
Next, you can expect to pay more for a surgery that uses laser technology than you would for a basic surgery using a blade to cut around the eye. Laser surgeries are more popular today, but they are also just slightly more expensive.
Additionally, there are usually extra expenses if you want more advanced technology, such as Wavefront LASIK which increases the accuracy of the procedure.
So, what exactly are we looking at for average prices in 2009? Luckily, the average cost of LASIK eye surgery is very similar to what they were a year ago.
In general, expect to pay about $2, 000 per eye for LASIK eye surgery. If you have basic blade tool surgery and do not need extensive correction, you price could fall quite a bit below this figure. If you need a lot of correction, will need extensive care after the surgery, or want a Wavefront, all laser procedure, you could pay a bit over this price.
This is an average cost of LASIK eye surgery for the entire country, so depending where you live, the exact provider you select, and the details of your surgery, your price could fall higher or even lower than this figure.