Cost Of Lasik And Other Corrective Eye Surgery

What is the cost of lasik and other eye surgery?

The cost of laser eye surgery will vary depending on a number of factors:

  • Location: Where you live and the cost of living in your area will affect all prices, including laser surgery.
  • Specific procedure: There are many types of laser eye surgery, and different equipment is used in these procedures. This will depend upon your needs and what you and your eye surgeon decide is the best treatment for you.
  • One or both eyes: Your procedure may involve treating one eye or both eyes. They may be treated in the same visit or in two visits.
  • The pricing method used by your surgeon may differ from other surgeons.
  • Your insurance coverage, if any, will determine how much you pay.
  • Your Surgeon: Expect to pay more for a well-known, highly-recommended, experienced surgeon.
  • Pre-op tests your surgeon does
  • Royalty fees to the laser manufacturer of up to $250 per eye

    • With those variables in mind, surgery ranges from $1,500 to $5,000 per eye. Many people find surgeons who charge less or more than that, by several hundred dollars.

    While the cost of Lasik and other eye surgery are about the same across the U.S., they seem to be a bit higher in southern California, New York, and areas where the cost of living is the greatest. Lasik, Lasek and other laser eye surgery procedures tend to run from about $1,700 for non-wavefront Lasik to $2,300 for wavefront procedures per eye. CK ranges from $1,500 to $3,000, and lens exchange procedures from $2,500 to $5,000 per eye.

    If you’ve been considering laser eye surgery, you’ve probably seen signs advertising Lasik for a few hundred dollars per eye. Approach these eye surgeons with caution. Cost of Lasik and other eye surgery run closer to $1,300 per eye.

    But, always find out exactly what will be done, by whom, with what credentials and experience, what won’t be done for that price, what equipment and methods will be employed.

    Such clinics may be using long-outdated equipment. Don’t be surprised if the really low prices are nothing more than bait.

    If you are fortunate enough to have insurance that covers laser eye surgery, your plan will explain your out-of-pocket costs.

    Why Price Differences In The Cost Of Lasik And Other Eye Surgery

    Eye surgeons compete with others in their service area, just as any other businesses do. This involves many kinds of costs:

  • Continuing Education: Education is not only required for surgeons to maintain their licenses to practice, but to stay current in the newest techniques.
  • Equipment: Buying new equipment, and learning to use it is costly. Doctors often take time from their practices to attend workshops to learn to use the new equipment or enhancements. This equipment also incurs frequent maintenance expenses for biomedical calibrations and measurements that are required every few uses (i.e. after four surgeries or diagnostic tests, etc.) If your surgeon uses Wavefront technology for diagnostics and to guide the laser during surgery it will cost more than if he uses a blade and less sophisticated methods to ablate the cornea.
  • Procedural Updates and Practice Modifications: As new methods are studied and given final FDA approval, surgeons may need to take time from their practices to learn these new techniques.
  • Office/Clinic Expenses: Expenses associated with maintaining a clinic are directly tied to its location, and will be higher in metropolitan areas and areas where property values are highest. Rent, taxes, utilities, advertising, and other overhead expenses add to your surgeon’s costs.
  • Staff: Employee expenses will also vary by location because wages usually fluctuate with location.

    • Doctors also offer different packages of services. Some packages might include follow-up enhancements in the event your results are less than expected. You doctor might include all of your post surgical follow-up exams, as well.

    Expect to pay more when these services are included. But remember that packaged services usually cost much less than if you had to pay separately for them.

    These are a kind of insurance, that saves money if you use it. Although it costs more if you have no need for it, you come out ahead just by not needing it.

    Return From Cost Of Lasik To Laser Eye Surgery

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